tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90492667920701049242024-03-13T12:02:08.543-07:00Ninety Feet From HomeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-35796911826585828942016-07-22T05:45:00.001-07:002016-08-01T05:00:00.828-07:00Mike Piiiazza & The Night of September 21, 2001<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm a lifelong Mets fan. I spent my first forty six years of life on Long Island, New York before moving to Columbia, South Carolina in August 2012. My family would join me in February, 2013. But we have remained true to the Metropolitans. Helps that the Mets South Atlantic League farm club, the Fireflies, are now in Columbia.<br />
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My allegiance to the orange and blue started in 1973 at the ripe old age of seven years old. It's the first major league or minor league baseball game I ever went to, or certainly the first game I can ever remember. That night, September 21, 1973, the Amazin Mets took on the Pittsburgh Pirates, known back then as <a href="http://wahoosam.net/2012/09/04/pittsburghs-lumber-company-paced-team-to-success-in-1970s/">The Lumber Company</a> with Willie Stargell , Manny Sanguillen and Richie Zisk. Tom Seaver pitched a complete game that night. The Mets got three home runs from John Milner (who would eventually join the Pirates and be a part of their 1979 World Champion team), Wayne Garrett, and Rusty Staub <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN197309210.shtml">to win the game 10-2</a> and take over first place from the Pirates. <br />
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I was hooked that night and became a huge Mets fan, especially of Tom Seaver. Despite facing a legendary hitting team, Tom obviously had the stuff, but even more importantly, the will to shut them down. I believe it's my admiration of Seaver that has always ingrained my philosophy that pitching and defense wins championships (and if you look at the '73 Mets, they were built on pitching with Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack and George Stone). <br />
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By the way, look at the box score in the link in the second paragraph and notice Seaver's ERA after the game was 1.88. He'd finish the regular season with a 19-10 record and a 2.08 ERA. The Amazin Mets would win the NL East that season with an 82-79 record and then upset the Big Red Machine, aka the Cincinnati Reds, to win the National League Pennant. The Mets went up 3-2 in the World Series to the Oakland A's, only to lose the series in seven games.</div>
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It would be the last Mets playoff appearance for more than a decade until the '86 Mets won the World Series. After the Mets made the playoffs again in 1988, winning the NL East and then losing to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets were not relevant again for another decade.</div>
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So if you are a Mets fan of a certain age, you went through decade long droughts to see your team make the playoffs. I went through two of them. One that lasted from the single digits of age through my sophomore year of college. The next went from my first steady girlfriend (of course now ex) to three years into marriage with my wife. </div>
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Year two of my marriage, 1998, is where Mike Piiiazza, as legendary Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy used to call him, came into Mets lore. Piazza was traded by the Marlins to the Mets for Ed Yarnall and Preston Wilson. Only a few days prior, Piazza had been traded by the Dodgers to the Marlins. If you want to get Piazza's take on those few days, read my friend Jerry Beach's wonderful new blog, <a href="https://floppydiskfiles.wordpress.com/2016/07/22/mike-piazza-interview-71898/">Floppy Disk Files</a> for an interview he had with Piazza during that time. </div>
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Piazza would help the Mets become relevant again, as the Mets made the playoffs in 1999, advancing to the NLCS, losing to the Braves in six games. In 2000, Piazza led the Mets to the World Series, losing to the Yankees in five games. Outside of two World Series games, I went to every playoff game at Shea Stadium those two years. </div>
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After 2000, Piazza would spend five more years with the Mets, his last being in 2005. Piazza would play two more years with the Padres and the Athletics. He would eventually set the record for most home runs by a catcher and hit 427 career home runs with a lifetime batting average of .308.</div>
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But it was one game and that one game in particular where Piazza will always have a place in my heart. </div>
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From August 1993 to August 2012, I worked for Hofstra Law School, overseeing their technology department. I got the opportunity to work with a lot of great faculty, staff, administration and students/now alums, many of which are my friends. In 2001, I did a lot of work with the Hofstra Labor Law Journal, a terrific group of students, many of whom I became friends with. The night of the journal dinner back in April 2001, as a way of saying thank you and knowing how big a Mets fan I was, the journal gave me two tickets to a Mets/Braves game. </div>
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The date of the game was September 21, 2001...<b><i>twenty eight years to the day</i></b> that I first became a Mets fan.</div>
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It was also be more importantly, ten days after September 11. </div>
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I remember September 11, 2001 all too well. Hofstra Law School had our bi-annual Legal Ethics Conference going on up at the time up in Room 308, our Moot Courtroom. I was making sure that the conference was being recorded properly and making sure any technology needed,including wireless access (yes we had wifi back in 2001) was working well. It was my friend Frank Quatela, who I believe emailed me and said a plane hit the World Trade Center. I figured it was a Cessna at first when I saw the email. Then I went down to the second floor student lounge and saw everyone gathered around as footage was shown of the smoke/fire and the hole made by the first hijacked airliner in the first tower. We all then saw the second tower being hit by the second hijacked airliner.</div>
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The world has not been the same since.</div>
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As you all now know, access to New York City was shutdown. Airports, bridges etc. were closed. Up in Room 308, the conference was still going on and if you remember, this was back when people didn't get notifications of breaking news. I had to go up there and tell the director of the conference, Professor Roy Simon, what was going on. He stopped the conference and made the announcement to the stunned audience. After careful deliberation and knowing that all the out of town conference attendees had nowhere to go with all the bridges and airports closed, we went on with the conference.</div>
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I was fortunate in that no family members and friends I knew were killed or hurt in the attacks. But I knew others that did. </div>
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New York showed a lot of heart during that time. I remember the large numbers of fellow Hofstra staff, faculty and students in the Hofstra Arena to give blood a couple of days after 9/11. I knew a couple of students who were first responders who went into the city to help. New York was at the brunt of the terrorist attacks and people were hurting. </div>
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That's why September 21, 2001 is so important not to just Mets' fans, but to the people of New York as well. <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/07/18/how-sept-21-2001-unfurled-at-shea-when-piazza-made-ny-smile/">It was the first public sports event to take place in New York since 9/11</a>.</div>
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I remember Chelle and I getting to the game as early as we could. But it was the first night of security measures and the lines were incredibly long. By the time we finally got to our seats, the game was about to start. </div>
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If you remember the Mets in 2001, they were a shell of the team of the previous two seasons. They were actually thirteen games below .500 on July 13, 38-51, thirteen games back of the Braves. Yet they had started making a run, going 36-22 during that span to get to within five games of the Braves at 74-73 the night of September 21, 2001. </div>
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There was a feeling of anxiousness in the crowd. At Shea Stadium, there were police snipers on the roof, police everywhere. Heavy security and rightfully so, given what had happened. The crowd was looking for anything to believe in. The Braves had just taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth thanks to Brian Jordan's RBI double off Armando Benitez, </div>
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Piazza came up in the bottom of the eighth with one out and Desi Relaford, pinch running for Edgardo Alfonzo, a terrific player but bereft of speed, on first base. When Piazza belted that ball off the second level of the camera tower in center field, the crowd roared and the stadium rocked, even more than it did the year before when the Mets beat the Cards at Shea to win the NLCS. I had been there that night as well when the fans jumped up and down as much as Timo Perez did before he caught that ball. <br />
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But as special as that night in October of 2000 was, this moment was even more special. It had been as if the entire city of New York had let out this one huge roar, this was one true moment of jubiliation that was so sorely needed. As Howie Rose so eloquently noted "What have the last 10 days been like for those guys? They lost friends, colleagues, God forbid other family members. And now they look like this. Baseball did that for them. Mike did that for them."<br />
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The Mets would win the game 3-2 and win the next night to get within 3 1/2 games before Benitez melted that Sunday afternoon, giving up three runs and the Mets lost and never really got any closer, finishing third in the NL East. </div>
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But that fateful September 21 evening, Piazza's home run gave many hope. For me, it was another night of true amazement, eighteen years to the day of my first one. This was more special though. The stakes were much, much bigger than a National League Pennant. It was a time for much need healing and Piazza delivered that.</div>
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This weekend Mike Piazza finally and rightfully enters the Hall of Fame. As a Met. Just like Seaver. Two players who share a common bond with me, exactly twenty eight years apart.<br />
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Congrats Mike and thank you. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-10658869492451491862014-01-08T04:14:00.003-08:002014-01-08T08:47:41.738-08:00If I Had a Hall of Fame Vote...Yes, Ninety Feet from Home is back. How long it will be back, I don't know. But I thought this year's Hall of Fame Ballot was very important to write an article. <br />
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First, I am tired of those BBWWA members that have a vote who basically waste them, not voting on players who they "suspect" did PEDs. <a href="http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/26/murray-chass-thinks-craig-biggio-did-steroids/">Murray Chass said the following</a> (and note that I didn't link to Chass' blog directly, though I could have, due to not wanting to give Chass' site any more hits) ;<br />
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"The boxes next to these 10 names will not get an X: Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Eric Gagne, Paul Lo Duca, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa. These non-exes won’t get my vote because they were proved to have cheated, admitted they cheated or are strongly suspected of having cheated."</blockquote>
As a good friend said to me on Facebook, Biggio should "lawyer up" and sue Chass for slander. To my knowledge and I am someone who has religiously followed baseball since I was seven years old and has coached Little League for the past three years (thus to show I have some knowledge of baseball), Biggio has never been "strongly suspected" of using performance enhancement drugs, nor was he mentioned in the Mitchell Report.<br />
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Murray Chass wouldn't matter to me, except for one thing. He has a vote. <br />
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Then there's the brilliant Ken Gurnick of MLB.Com, <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2014-01-07/baseball-hall-of-fame-2014-ken-gurnick-explains-his-jack-morris-vote">who is only voting for Jack Morris and not anyone from "the steroid era"</a>, which includes guarantee first ballot Hall of Famers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Gurnick goes further to say "I just don't know who did and who didn't."<br />
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Really, Ken? So based on your uncertainty, legitmate Hall of Fame candidates will not get a vote? How about I just don't know if you deserve a vote or not. I am sure the folks who run MLB.Com are thinking the same thing about your employment.<br />
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There needs to be a BBWAA review committee of those "writers" like Chass and Gurnick who have ballots. If you cannot make reasoned judgments with evidence, whether statistical or not, you shouldn't have a Hall of Fame vote. <br />
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So what if I had a vote? Well, to be considered on my 10 member list vote, a player had to at least fit one of the five criteria. If you fit multiple criteria, you were in, three or more you were a lock; Here are my criteria.<br />
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1) Did you reach magical number of hits (3000), HR (500) or wins (300) ?<br />
2) Did you have a ten year dominant period, a long time Hall of Fame standard, and did that include at least one Cy Young or MVP?<br />
3) Did you lead a statistical category, wins, ERA, Strikeouts, HRs, shutouts, SBs, BA, RBIs, runs multiple times (meaning at least three times)?<br />
4) Did you have at least five all star appearances? Multiple Silver Sluggers? (notes you were the best hitter at your position)<br />
5) Do you favor comparably to other Hall of Famers based on categories like <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/">JAWS</a> and WAR?<br />
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Other factors may include lifetime .300 hitter, top twenty in all time category and statistical analysis, JAWS and WAR to be specific. <br />
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<i>And you ideally had to not be in the following category, though exceptions can be made for those TRULY EXCEPTIONABLE based on statistical categories.</i><br />
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Did you ever fail a drug test, were listed on the Mitchell Report, admit to taking steroids or PEDs, or taken to court for steroid use? <b>Please note, if you were none of the previous sentence, "suspicions" or the fact you took andro does not include you in this category.</b></blockquote>
So based on the above paragraph, Jeff Bagwell and Mike Piazza are Hall of Fame worthy candidates.<br />
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Here's what would be my Hall of Fame Ballot.<br />
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<b>1) Greg Maddux</b><br />
<b>2) Tom Glavine</b><br />
<b>3) Frank Thomas</b><br />
<b>4) Craig Biggio</b><br />
<b>5) Mike Piazza</b><br />
<b>6) Jeff Bagwell</b><br />
<b>7) Jeff Kent</b><br />
<b>8) Tim Raines</b><br />
<b>9) Roger Clemens</b><br />
<b>10 Barry Bonds</b><br />
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<b>Not making the list </b>- <b>Fred McGriff</b>, <b>Mike Mussina</b>, <b>Curt Schilling</b> and <b>Jack Morris</b><br />
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1) <b>Greg Maddux</b> - Simply put, he should be a unanimous pick. Three hundred and fifty five wins, four Cy Youngs, eight time All Star, led league in ERA four times, EIGHTEEN time Gold Glove winner, led league in Ratio four times, three times in Wins and five time in Shutouts. One of the greats of all time.<br />
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2) <b>Tom Glavine</b> - The Sundance Kid to Maddux's Butch Cassidy. Three hundred and five wins, two Cy Youngs, ten time All Star and led league in Wins five times. Definite first ballot Hall of Famer.<br />
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3) <b>Frank Thomas</b> - Five hundred and twenty one home runs, lifetime .301 hitter, two time MVP, five time All Star, four time Silver Slugger. His .419 on base percentage is twentieth all time and his .555 slugging percentage is twenty second all time for major league hitters. Easily had a ten year period between 1991 and 2000 where he was truly dominant. Another no brainer for the Hall of Fame.<br />
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4) <b>Craig Biggio </b>- Three thousand and sixty hits. Seven All Star appearances. Five Silver Sluggers and four Gold Gloves. Twice lead league in runs scored and lead the league three times in doubles. Fifth all time leader in doubles with 668 and fifteenth all time in runs scored with 1844. Should have made the Hall of Fame last season in his first year eligible on the ballot.<br />
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5) <b>Mike Piazza</b> - Twelve time All Star and ten Silver Slugger Awards. Lifetime .308 hitter. Rookie of the Year winner. Had ten year dominant period from 1993 to 2002, which coincides with him winning the Silver Slugger each year during that period. All time home run leader for catchers. JAWS lists him as 5th all time catcher. Of the top eight catchers in JAWS, six are in the Hall of Fame and the other two are Ivan Rodriguez (another future Hall of Famer) and Piazza. Enough said.<br />
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6) <b>Jeff Bagwell</b> - Won MVP once and was also Rookie of the Year. Four All Star appearances, three Silver Sluggers and one Gold Glove. Eight times drove in 100 or more RBIs. Had ten year dominant period from 1994 to 2003. 34th all time with .540 slugging percentage. JAWS lists him as 6th all time first baseman. Of the top ten first basemen in JAWS, seven are in the Hall of Fame, the other three are Thomas, Jim Thome (a definite Hall of Famer) and Bagwell.<br />
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7) <b>Tim Raines </b>- Seven time All Star and one Silver Slugger. Led league in stolen bases four times. Fifth all time leader in stolen bases with 808. The top four leaders in stolen bases are all in the Hall of Fame (Ricky Henderson, Lou Brock, Billy Hamilton and Ty Cobb). Led league in assists three times, runs twice and batting average and doubles each one time. JAWS lists him as the eighth all time left fielder. The other top seven are Hall of Famers and Barry Bonds. <br />
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8) <b>Jeff Kent </b>- Won MVP once, five time All Star and four time Silver Slugger Award winner. From 1997 to 2007, he had eight years of one hundred or more RBIs. If there's anyone on this list that might be considered border line, it would be Kent. But I think he was the dominant second baseman at his position for a good ten year period. <br />
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Now my last two have been involved in PEDs from lawsuits or federal cases but their numbers, especially WAR are too strong to ignore. But before I talk about the last two players, let's note a couple of things right now. <br />
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A) The Hall of Fame is already not pristine. There is at least one member of the Hall of Fame who used performance enhancing means to get into the Hall of Fame and admitted as such; Gaylord Perry. Gaylord Perry doctored baseballs, ie. used spitballs and admitted as such. Yet, there he is in the Hall of Fame.<br />
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<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=2225013">Also much has been made of the amphetamine use of the 1970's, 80's etc</a>. There was no tests for that back in the 70's till the time of testing in baseball. I haven't heard anyone seriously question current Hall of Famers for their use of amphetamines and whether that was cheating.<br />
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B) Which leads to my second item. There were no tests for steroids or PEDs years until the past several years in baseball. Whether there is a basis of evidence or not, at the time the players did not do anything illegal, or at least not illegal in Major League Baseball until there was approved, mandatory tests. So, yes, there is a good deal of evidence or circumstantial evidence if you wish to say Clemens and Bonds were using steroids. But there seems to be a good period of time when Bonds and Clemens didn't use steroids (based on body type early in career).<br />
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Also, if PEDs were the sole reason a player had Hall of Fame worthy statistics, Ozzie Canseco would have put up Hall of Fame numbers (thankfully his more talented brother, Jose Canseco, didn't either). <br />
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There are players I have left off this list, like Rafael Palmeiro, who failed a drug test, or Mark McGwire, who admitted taking steroids. Much of that has to due with the overwhelming evidence in their cases, but also has to do that their WAR wasn't really all that good. In Clemens and Bonds cases, their WAR is so much greater that those two and of anyone eligible currently for the Hall of Fame that their numbers trump their alleged/likely use of steroids/PEDs later in their careers.<br />
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So until Gaylord Perry is kicked out of the Hall of Fame or there is a honest, statistical discussion about whether the Hall of Fame should celebrate the greatest players of all time, no matter the circumstances or is the Hall of Fame truly only for those who played the game "clean", I can't keep out two elite players, despite the PED baggage they had towards the end of their careers<br />
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9) <b>Roger Clemens</b> - Seven time Cy Young award winner and won MVP once. Three hundred and fifty four wins. Led league in ERA seven times, shutouts six times and strikeouts five times. Led the league in wins four times and won twenty or more games six times. Eleven time All Star. Career 139 WAR, which is third all time for pitchers. Third all time in strikeouts. Look up the definition of "dominant", you'll likely see his picture there. Sorry, Clemens had immense talent and great pitching acumen and successfully used both, whether there was PED use or not.<br />
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10) <b>Barry Bonds </b>- The all time leader in home runs, first all time in runs created, third all time in runs scored, fourth all time in Total Bases, fifth in career slugging percentage (.607), fifth all time in OPS (1.051) and sixth all time in OBP (.444). MVP seven times, three of those came early in his career (1990, 1992, 1993) when it was clear his body type was not of a "suspected" steroid user. Twelve time Silver Slugger, eight time Gold Glove winner (he was not just a hitter). Fourteen time all star. His 162 WAR is fourth all time. Thirty third all time in hits. Just too dominant, even in his early career, to leave out of the Hall of Fame.<br />
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Now for those who I left off this list.<br />
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<b>Fred McGriff </b>- The Crimedog was a good home run hitter and you could even say a very good home run hitter with 493 career home runs. Drove in 100 runs eight times in his nineteen year career. Five time All Star and three time Silver Slugger award winner. Led the National League twice in home runs. Just wasn't someone considered dominant and fell short of the magical 500 home run mark. He might be the Mike Mussina of hitting (see Mussina for description). He's much more of a borderline case than the next three.<br />
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<b>Mike Mussina </b>- Five time All Star and seven time Gold Glove winner. 24th all time for WAR. JAWS lists him as the 28th best pitcher of all time. . My friend John Templon of Big Apple Buckets has the perfect nickname for Mussina - "The Great Compiler". That's because Mussina compiles stats; wins - 270 (33rd), strikeouts 2813 (19th), WAR 82.7 (24th). <br />
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But Mussina never led the league in ERA, ratio or strikeouts or in a single season. He led the league once in wins, shutouts and WAR. Mussina never won a Cy Young and only came in second once. He only won twenty games once, his last season in the big leagues. If you look at Mussina' similarity scores, he compares closest to Andy Pettitte (and the numbers are scary). Pettitte, good pitcher that he was, was never a dominant pitcher and not Hall of fame worthy in my book. Likewise, Mussina never had a ten year dominant period, like say Roy Halladay or Pedro Martinez. He was the ultimate #2 starter but not yet Hall of Fame worthy to me.<br />
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<b>Curt Schilling</b> - Six time All Star, led league twice in wins, twice in strikeouts, twice in ratio and four times in complete games. Won twenty or more games three times. JAWS lists him as the 27th best pitcher of all time. Here's the thing; Schilling never won a Cy Young. never had a ten year dominant period. To me he compares with Mussina, but didn't compile as much stats as Mussina or was as good as Mussina for as long a period of time. Would vote Mussina in before Schilling.<br />
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<b>Jack Morris</b> - Five time all Star, led the league twice in wins (one year was strike shortened season -1981), led the league once in strikeouts, once in shutouts and won twenty or more games three times. But that's it. Yes Morris had the 1984 and 1991 postseasons, the five all star appearances, he was a warrior and for that, a lot of old school BBWAA writers have voted for him. <br />
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Morris compiled some good statistics on par with Mussina and Schilling. But he was never considered "dominant", certainly didn't have a ten year dominant period and most importantly, never won a Cy Young. I would vote for Mussina and Schilling before Morris, who JAWS lists as the <i>one hundred and fifty ninth all time best pitcher</i>. Uh uh.<br />
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Now mind you, I don't have a vote, I never will and the voters are entitled to their opinion. Most that have a vote have thoughtful explanations/reasoning/evidence/statistics for their voting. There may be no place in the Hall of Fame for cheaters (Gaylord Perry proves otherwise) but there's also no place in the BBWWA Hall of Fame voting for writers who base their votes on suspicion and uncertainty. Surely we can all agree the Hall of Fame is too important for that.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-74570874461394938052010-07-16T05:16:00.000-07:002010-07-17T06:21:22.716-07:00Day 4 - Chicago, Chicago My Kind of Town<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD7zI6M3HzI/AAAAAAAAA-E/jVy_2HEchkY/s1600/IMG_2174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD7zI6M3HzI/AAAAAAAAA-E/jVy_2HEchkY/s200/IMG_2174.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>After seemingly killed every flying bug in the state of Michigan and quickly saying "Hi" and "Bye" to Indiana, we reached our destination of the Omni Hotel on Michigan a little after midnight central time. It was the first time in my life that I actually DROVE to a different time zone. In the span of three days we had driven from DC to Pittsburgh to Detroit and now to Chicago. <br />
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Tieff and I got an early start to day four as we were wired for sound when we got to our hotel room. The two of us made an executive decision to walk around town, due to the fact I promised him that he had to go down Rush Street, which probably has the most hopping night life in Chicago. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD70gYknuQI/AAAAAAAAA-M/YPWp-EvzSfU/s1600/IMG_2175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD70gYknuQI/AAAAAAAAA-M/YPWp-EvzSfU/s200/IMG_2175.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>This was Tieff's first time ever in Chicago. For me, this was now my fifth time here. Three times I have been here on business, most recently in May when I did my PMP bootcamp training (I received my PMP certification a week later when I passed the exam). <br />
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The only other time I was in Chicago for pleasure was back in October 2001, not too long after the ban on air travel was lifted. My friend Mal and I decided to support the airlines and see Wrigley for the first time. We made it a sports weekend as we watched Northwestern win an exciting college football game at home over Michigan State that Saturday. And then that Sunday we watched the Cubs lose to the Astros. It was an unusually warm October weekend in Chicago, and I remember the two of us hanging outside on Rush Street amazed at the fact of how busy Rush Street was on a Sunday night in October.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD79i3axU7I/AAAAAAAAA-U/B7IQPPTO6AU/s1600/IMG_2178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD79i3axU7I/AAAAAAAAA-U/B7IQPPTO6AU/s200/IMG_2178.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>And here Tieff and I were nearly nine years later on the same street (Rush is a very short walk from the Omni Hotel). The first thing you notice about Chicago in the late spring/summertime, well ok, if you are a guy this is the first thing you notice, there are a lot of beautiful women in Chicago ( I warned my wife I was going to write this -doesn't mean I will be ok, but I warned her). I noticed this when I was here in May and I forewarned Tieff as were driving towards Chicago. The great thing if you are a single guy is that a lot of women are traveling as a group unattached seemingly or even by themselves. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD-FroS_hZI/AAAAAAAAA-c/8ebH-ROM8II/s1600/IMG_2179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD-FroS_hZI/AAAAAAAAA-c/8ebH-ROM8II/s200/IMG_2179.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>The next thing that Tieff noticed is how clean Chicago is (or at least the sections of Chicago we walked around). And that's very true. Chicago is very clean and also happens to have good drinking tap water (always helps to have a major lake, Lake Michigan, as your water supply). Another thing we noticed, and it might have had partly due to that we were there on an extended weekend, was that it was surprisingly easy to drive around the city. Finally, the mass transit train system works very well. We took the Red Line to both Wrigley and U.S. Cellular (more on U.S. Cellular in my next post).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD-IL19I9LI/AAAAAAAAA-k/DoGiff3bAQs/s1600/IMG_2182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD-IL19I9LI/AAAAAAAAA-k/DoGiff3bAQs/s200/IMG_2182.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>So on the morning of July 4th, we walked around Rush Street, then ended up at Pippin's on Rush till about 2:00 am in the morning. We headed to our hotel rooms and ended up running into two cute twin blonde young twenty something females who were seemingly as lost about the Omni's entrance as we were. Tieff and I made it to our hotel room and hit the hay. Before we knew it, it was 9:30 am and we headed out to the Red Line stop to go to Wrigley. We tried to find a place serving breakfast that had no long wait. No such luck, thus we got on to our train and headed uptown to the Addison street stop where Wrigley is located.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD-JXm6RSGI/AAAAAAAAA-s/Gl5PAjZuqVY/s1600/IMG_2187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TD-JXm6RSGI/AAAAAAAAA-s/Gl5PAjZuqVY/s200/IMG_2187.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Once we got to Addison, along with hundreds of other Cubs fans, again we tried to find someplace to eat breakfast a little after 11:00 am. We ended up at a McDonalds that of course stop serving breakfast at 11:00 am. A note to the moronic folks at Mickey D's - On a SUNDAY, people eat breakfast late. It's called BRUNCH. You should seriously consider serving breakfast on Sundays till about 1:00 PM. That might explain why the Mickey D's DIRECTLY ACROSS from Wrigley Field had no lines at the counter at 11:00 am.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEBN5grUziI/AAAAAAAAA-4/Ry1S6sUKavM/s1600/IMG_2177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEBN5grUziI/AAAAAAAAA-4/Ry1S6sUKavM/s200/IMG_2177.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>So being starved, we ended up eating Angus burgers at 11:00 AM on a Sunday. Then we made our way to magnificent Wrigley on a warm sunny Sunday morning, but not before stopping at every souvenir stand around the park to see if we could find a cheap Cubs hat to wear, because I knew we had field level seats down the RF line. And on a 93 degree day with the sun pounding on us, we needed all the cover we could get. <br />
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Tieff ended up getting the pictured hat from a vendor for five bucks. I decided I didn't want a hat that badly. And here is the ironic thing, as we walked in and get our tickets scanned, we see it was a giveaway day. The giveaway was a fitted Cubs cap with a red white and blue C. A free hat. All that work to find a cap/hat and it was Cubs Cap Day. Tieff still decided to wear his hat for the game.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEBOYenT0GI/AAAAAAAAA_A/MMndw_tJo_E/s1600/IMG_2180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEBOYenT0GI/AAAAAAAAA_A/MMndw_tJo_E/s200/IMG_2180.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>There is no better way to spend the Fourth of July then at Wrigley Field. Wrigley is a really great ball park with the scoreboard, the apartment buildings with skybox seats, and of course the Ivy and brick. I was here in 2001 and my seats were field level on the first base side but way up, under the overhang, near a pole, thus I had an obstructed view of the field. I wasn't taking any chances this time. I purchased tickets on Stubhub and got field level row 13 on the RF line. We could have used the shade today, but I wasn't complaining. It was still a great day for a ball game.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEBPJvHksHI/AAAAAAAAA_I/rGPrgjn194w/s1600/IMG_2204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEBPJvHksHI/AAAAAAAAA_I/rGPrgjn194w/s200/IMG_2204.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Well it turned out it was a great day for a ball game if you were a Reds fan (or a neutral observer like us). The Reds are in first place for two reasons. One, they have talented young hitters like Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto. Second, they have been getting excellent starting pitching from Mike Leake, who started our game, Johnny Cueto and Brandon Arroyo. When you put those two things together, you get a game like ours.<br />
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The Cubs are going through a rough year. First, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez have had injury plagued seasons, where both are not hitting up to their standards. Carlos Zambrano has struggled so much that he is now in the bullpen, which didn't provide much help on this day. The Cubs one strong point had been their starting pitching with Carlos Silva, Ryan Dempster having very solid years. Ted Lilly, the Cubs starter on this day, had been pitching well on the season with an ERA in the low 3's . However the Cubs lack of offense left him with a 3-6 record entering the game with the Reds.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGTePuWcyI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/3WU3Z7xviHQ/s1600/IMG_2208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGTePuWcyI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/3WU3Z7xviHQ/s200/IMG_2208.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>The game started off well for the Cubs. The Reds best player, Joey Votto, got ejected in the first inning for arguing a strike three call (he threw his helmet down in front of the umpire, a no-no in MLB). Lilly held the Reds scoreless for the first two innings. Then in the bottom of the second, a Marlon Byrd single and a Tyler Colvin home run put the Cubbies up 2-0. A full house of 41,079 thought this was going to be a very festive July 4th for the hometown team. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGU84VkQOI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/ttYj3U9DX2U/s1600/IMG_2213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGU84VkQOI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/ttYj3U9DX2U/s200/IMG_2213.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>However, Colvin's home run was the next to last joyous moment for Cubs' fans on this day. Drew Stubbs would wallop the first of his three home runs on the day in the top of the third. In the top of the fourth, an Orlando Cabrera single, a perfect bunt single by Paul Janish, and a crushed triple by Ramon Hernandez put the Reds up to stay 3-2. Lilly got through the fifth, but Mike Leake held the Cubs scoreless for the third inning in a row. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGagH6zWhI/AAAAAAAAA_g/RFXTXpRbqvM/s1600/IMG_2223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGagH6zWhI/AAAAAAAAA_g/RFXTXpRbqvM/s200/IMG_2223.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>In the top of the sixth, the Reds would strike again using the long ball. Cabrera again singled, but Janish would not be playing small ball this time. He smoked a two run homer over the left field wall to put the Reds up 5-2. Colvin would respond with his second homer of the day to narrow the gap to 5-3. But that would be the last run the Cubs would score on the day.<br />
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After giving up runs in three of the past four innings, Tieff and I along with several Cubs fans around us wondered why Ted Lilly came out to start the seventh. But manager Lou Pinella looked like a genius as Lilly got the first two out. Then Lilly unraveled like a ball of yarn in front of the Cubs' faithful. Brandon Phillips launched a missile over the left field fence. Orlando Cabrera then followed with a double and Janish chased him home with a single. Johnny Gomes followed with a two run bomb and before you knew it, it was 9-3 Reds. And the second guessing in the stands began as Lilly gave up nine earned runs in 6 2/3 innings to bring his ERA up to 3.76.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGcf7ujuYI/AAAAAAAAA_o/sQlccVeJq_8/s1600/IMG_2226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGcf7ujuYI/AAAAAAAAA_o/sQlccVeJq_8/s320/IMG_2226.JPG" /></a></div>But if anyone questioned why Pinella left Lilly in, Jeff Stevens immediately answered their questions by playing human batting practice machine, with a few walks thrown in. First, Corky Miller tattooed a Stevens offering to dead center for a solo homer. <br />
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Then Stevens, probably affected from knowing the ball he served up to Miller was still traveling, walked the next two batters, Jay Bruce and Miguel Cairo. Drew Stubbs then uncorked his second homer of the day and it was now 13-3. Stevens then walked the pitcher Leake and gave up a single to Phillips. Lou went out and got his human gasoline can out of the game. Stevens line - 0 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 3 BB. A good number of Reds fans made the trip from Cincinnati and they were reveling in the beating the Big Red Machine was giving the Cubbies. Bobby Howry spared Stevens further damage by getting Cabrera to fly out to end the inning much to the grateful delight of the home run weary fans.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGe1euGTcI/AAAAAAAAA_w/TRT_GW0ru-4/s1600/IMG_2207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGe1euGTcI/AAAAAAAAA_w/TRT_GW0ru-4/s200/IMG_2207.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>The wonderful thing about Wrigley, is that despite the beatdown the Cubs were getting, you were at a magnificent shrine of a ballpark on a beautiful though warm day. You had an old time band walking around the ballpark playing. There was a wonderful rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in the seventh inning by two local well known husband and wife opera singers. There were the skybox seats in the apartment buildings, the old fashioned scoreboard and of course that green green ivy and brick. Just a perfect July Fourth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGpu15nzpI/AAAAAAAAA_4/LRmYnzydvNU/s1600/IMG_2176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGpu15nzpI/AAAAAAAAA_4/LRmYnzydvNU/s200/IMG_2176.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>Stubbs put an exclamation point on the day for the Reds by hitting his third HR on the day in the ninth inning. By then, many of the Cubs fans had headed for the exits already, leaving mostly Reds fans to rejoice on the home run parade. The Reds belted seven round trippers, which almost accounted for half their hits. We made the trip back to the Red Line stop along with seemingly thousands of other fans. Tieff and I got back to our hotel room, showered, changed and headed back out for dinner.<br />
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We ended up eating outside at McCormack and Schmick's enjoying good seafood, good scenery and recapping the game we saw. Then I got my one celebrity sighting as Rush Lead Singer/Bassist Geddy Lee walked right by our table. We also got to see an Indian wedding procession in the park across the street from us. Despite all that, it was relatively quiet where we were considering we were on the corner of Chestnut and Rush.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGroz68ctI/AAAAAAAABAA/53FyfnkB0F4/s1600/IMG_2256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TEGroz68ctI/AAAAAAAABAA/53FyfnkB0F4/s200/IMG_2256.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Then it was on to Lake Shore Drive and the fireworks on Lake Michigan. Tons of people, including us, illegally crossed the very busy Lake Shore Drive, hopped the barrier and took a spot to watch the festivities. It was a good show, which I did videotape with my camera (coming to my Youtube channel in the distant future). Finally, we capped the night with some great Ghiardelli chocolate ice cream which I first got to experience the last time I was in Chicago as well. Tieff and I each got a bag of chocolates for our wives and after one last walk around the area, we limped back to our hotel rooms.<br />
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Our plans for July 5th was a doubleheader. First the Milwaukee-San Fran game at Miller Park, then the night cap, the White Sox hosting the Angels at U.S. Cellular. Accomplishing it would be another story.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-9906958414546161882010-07-13T21:05:00.000-07:002010-07-13T21:05:56.685-07:00Two One of a Kinds Pass Away for the YankeesIt's been a rough past several days for New York Yankees fans. Long time public address announcer Bob Sheppard passed away on Sunday at age 99. Having been to so many Yankee games (and even NY Giants games where he was the public address announcer from 1956 to 2006), with the exception of Vin Scully, there was no more distinct voice in professional sports than Bob Sheppard.<br />
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Then today, the long time owner of the Yankees, George Steinbrenner passed away suddenly due to a heart attack at the age of 80. Steinbrenner, to say the least, was a complicated man. He was known for his volatile temper, his will to win, and his willingness to change managers seemingly as often as people change their bedsheets. But he was also known for supporting many former NY Yankee players and stories have come out about his countless acts of charity, often many of which he did anonymously.<br />
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But what I will always remember most about Steinbrenner is what I said on my Facebook status today;<br />
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<blockquote><span id="profile_status"><span id="status_text">Say what you want about George Steinbrenner, but I will take the way he owned a baseball team ANY DAY over the likes of Peter Angelos, Robert Nutting (Pirates) and David Glass (Royals). George wanted to win no matter what and did whatever he could to win - hiring the right talent evaluators, putting as much money into the franchise as he got out of it. That's ownership.</span><small><span id="status_time"><span id="status_time_inner"><abbr class="timestamp" data-date="Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:00:40 -0700" title="Tuesday,
July 13, 2010 at 12:00pm"></abbr></span></span></small></span> </blockquote>Steinbrenner seemingly put as much money into the team that he profited out of it. And it's not just the free agents his team has bought. Look at the Yankees talented minor league system, which has been very good since the mid 90's. That's due to investing in Latin America, Japan and the US minor league scouting system. He took a team that was worth only 8.3 million in 1973 in a ballpark, which a friend of mine described that back then in the late 60's and early 70's as being "run down and filled with drug dealers" into an elite organization with a renovated monument to baseball (I loved the renovated Old Yankee Stadium) with seven World Championships during his tenure.<br />
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And he ended up getting his new Yankee Stadium, which I consider a giant palace/museum. But he was able to do that because he knew the correct philosophy to successful ownership - you have to spend money to make money. And he wanted to win..oh so wanted to win. And that's why he was so successful.<br />
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An era ended today.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-28417234104889390972010-07-12T04:48:00.000-07:002010-07-12T05:31:45.494-07:00Day 3 - Lions, Tigers and Sloth Bears, Oh My!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhV1gyH8WI/AAAAAAAAA78/Cvp5-VWi5Vc/s1600/IMG_1864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhV1gyH8WI/AAAAAAAAA78/Cvp5-VWi5Vc/s200/IMG_1864.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Toledo, Ohio was only supposed to be a stopping point on the way to Detroit last Saturday night. We had tickets for the Tigers - Mariners game which started at 7:00 pm. Since Toledo was only a couple of hours away, we took our time that morning. We actually were in Maumee, Ohio which is a suburb of Toledo, staying at a Fairfield Inn that was under renovation. So much so, that the entrance to the pool didn't have a door handle. </span><br />
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</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">First on the agenda was breakfast at a Cracker Barrel in Maumee. It was my first time at a Cracker Barrel and to be very honest, I felt like I was transported back in time and on to the set of Hee Haw. It's a very southern restaurant chain with a country motif, including I guess what you call a general store entrance. There were also a ton, and I mean a ton of rocking chairs on the porch of the restaurant up for sale. All that was missing was Roy Clark and Buck Owens playing and saying "Pickin and a Grinnin". You need to know your Hee Haw for that line. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Now breakfast was actually quite good, and also to be honest, I really liked beng there. It was a nice change of pace.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhYStQaRsI/AAAAAAAAA8E/9zxrDXK6kHA/s1600/IMG_1867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhYStQaRsI/AAAAAAAAA8E/9zxrDXK6kHA/s200/IMG_1867.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">After now getting <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Z9MPnlm_0&feature=related">one of the Hee Haw songs stuck in my brain</a>, we decided to head toward a shopping mall on a very hot Saturday to get my kids some presents. As we followed my navigation system's route, we realized that we were heading directly towards the Toledo Zoo. So we decided to chuck the shopping mall idea and hang out at the Toledo Zoo. As I noted on my Facebook status,"What do two guys on a baseball trip do to pass the time before the Tigers game? Go to the Toledo Zoo!"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">The Toledo Zoo is a large zoo right outside of the city. It's actually quite well done. The zoo is split into two parts. Each part of the zoo is on separate sides of the highway, joined together by an enclosed walking bridge, or as we call at Hofstra, a Unispan. The cost of the zoo is quite reasonable, $11.00 for adults. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhabY5EIFI/AAAAAAAAA8U/yfpMgCUO6Cc/s1600/IMG_2086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhabY5EIFI/AAAAAAAAA8U/yfpMgCUO6Cc/s200/IMG_2086.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">There are a lot of exhibits at the zoo - snow leopard, lions, cheetah (though it was closed), a an African safari exhibit with wildebeest, giraffes, antelope and zebra, a nice aquarium and insect exhibit, Our favorite was the gorilla exhibit, where the one dominant male gorilla, put on a show during feeding time. He clapped his hands for the oranges and kept wanting more. And oh yeah, there was those couple of times he scared off the other gorillas there when they went near an orange that he wanted. Very entertaining.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">We ended up spending three hours at the Toledo Zoo and our mission was accomplished. Two guys with seemingly nothing to do before going to a ball game in Detroit ended up having a really good time at a zoo that my two boys would love. And oh yeah, I got each of them a toy Volkswagen Beetle that had either leopard spots or zebra stripes. Nice.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhbzz62VUI/AAAAAAAAA8k/c2VZ8SwvK_k/s1600/IMG_2091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhbzz62VUI/AAAAAAAAA8k/c2VZ8SwvK_k/s200/IMG_2091.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">We headed out to Detroit and made it there pretty quickly. As we made our way toward the city from the highway, we could tell we were in a city that was a veritable postcard for the industrial revolution. From a distance there were lots of smokestacks which dominated each side of the highway. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">As we got into the city itself, we could tell how much of a toll the downturn of the automobile industry had taken on the city of Detroit. On each side of the highway, a significant number of houses and buildings had their windows boarded up or had no windows at all. The buildings were abandoned, just like the industry that had put Detroit on the map. It was sadly everything you had seen from news reports over the years, but you had wished it was just media hype. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhfJrkTW2I/AAAAAAAAA8s/LUfGelkphOs/s1600/IMG_2092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDhfJrkTW2I/AAAAAAAAA8s/LUfGelkphOs/s200/IMG_2092.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">We parked in a parking garage right next to the Fox Theater and decided to hit the Hockeytown Cafe for an early dinner. The Hockeytown Cafe is literally across the street from Comerica Park and it's really a major tourist attraction. It has several levels and has a ton, and I mean a ton of sports memorabilia. Of course, I had to take a picture of the Trammell and Whitaker jerseys, inseparable as the double play combination was in their heyday for the Tigers.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">We had a pretty good early dinner, standard sports cafe food. The pulled pork sandwich on white toast was a nice touch and we had a front row seat for the large flat screen TV showing the Mets - Nationals game in which Steven Strasberg was pitching. We fortunately got in there early because when we left there was a lot of people waiting for a table. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDmpeIuqY6I/AAAAAAAAA80/TalxDQUm1aQ/s1600/IMG_2169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDmpeIuqY6I/AAAAAAAAA80/TalxDQUm1aQ/s200/IMG_2169.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Then it was onto Comerica Park. It only took a few minutes for me to fall for this truly magnificently done ball park. There are so many touches, little and small, too numerous to even write in this blog, but I will try to capture many of the details I can. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">First, the entrance with the giant tiger and the tigers on top of the entrance is downright impressive. Quite possibly the coolest entrance to a MLB ballpark I have seen (and I have now seen 16 Major League ballparks, including the now extinct Shea Stadium and Old Yankee Stadium). Second, the ability to completely walk around the entire park on the same level is what I consider one of those small neat touches. Third, before you go into the ballpark, walk along the side street between Comerica and Ford Field, the domed football field right next to Comerica. It's pretty neat to see a line of Tigers banners on one side of the street and Lions banners on the other side. You also see that every so often on the side of the Comerica building is a tiger head with a baseball in its mouth. Another neat touch.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDmsyv6k0cI/AAAAAAAAA88/ASsZ-7Ii0zs/s1600/IMG_2109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDmsyv6k0cI/AAAAAAAAA88/ASsZ-7Ii0zs/s200/IMG_2109.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Fourth, the Tiger carousel in the food court was just a great idea. Something for the kids while you go online for food is just a nice thought and very well done. Right by there also is a Tiger painted Statute of Liberty. I am sure Yankee fans will find that sacrilege, but I thought it was pretty neat. Now I can't say anything about the food at the Tigers game because we ate at Hockeytown USA. But you won't go hungry.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">However, the touch I loved the most was the historical decade centerpieces that are in the first level walkway as you go around the park. Each of them has a review of the Tigers from the 20's, 30, 40's etc. It's a baseball historian's wet dream (for want of a better term). And I really liked the fact that they put in something historical from that decade, like an old fashioned radio.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDmvJu1We-I/AAAAAAAAA9E/C4JlNRHcLCc/s1600/IMG_2105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDmvJu1We-I/AAAAAAAAA9E/C4JlNRHcLCc/s200/IMG_2105.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Here's a tip, get to the ballpark early for enough for batting practice, even if it's just the road team's batting practice. Then go sit in the outfield seats, whether it's left field or right field. The first thing you realize is that the park is ENORMOUS and it takes a good poke to hit a home run at Comerica. No wonder Juan Gonzalez had a conniption when he played there when it first opened. And you can see in left field because they put up a new fence for the bullpen and you can see the difference between the new fence and the existing wall where the first row of seats are.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">The second thing you notice when you are at your seat is that the Tigers did an excellent job with the field, the scoreboard, the center field Chevrolet Fountain, the whole backdrop is really well done. The one thing I highly suggest is that if you go to a Detroit game in early July for a 7pm start, and your seats are field level on the third base line, bring a pair of sunglasses (which I thankfully did). The sun is right in your eyes for a good four innings. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDmxWVa8PkI/AAAAAAAAA9M/EU3XGOU9cqI/s1600/IMG_2124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDmxWVa8PkI/AAAAAAAAA9M/EU3XGOU9cqI/s200/IMG_2124.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">As for the game itself, well we were fortunate to be there when the Tigers ace, Justin Verlander was starting. He was definitely by far the best starting pitcher we would see pitching on this trip. He also was a hit with the ladies as a lot of female Tigers fans went to the third base line to take his picture as he strolled out to the bullpen. The only other player I have seen that with in the past few weeks was the Phillies Jayson Werth, when I had RF tickets for a Phillies home game during a conference I was attending. Memo to the Phillies - Don't trade Werth. The guy is a freakin rock star in Philly. Try to pawn off Ibanez and spend the money resigning Werth.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDr57tugcPI/AAAAAAAAA9U/SSozj8U_8yw/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDr57tugcPI/AAAAAAAAA9U/SSozj8U_8yw/s200/IMG_2136.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Verlander didn't disappoint the fans (or the female admirers for that matter). He was on top of his game. The weak Mariners lineup struck out early and often. Meanwhile, it took a few innings, but the Tigers lineup finally got to Mariner starter Jason Vargas in the fourth inning for two runs, then knocked him out with four runs in the fifth inning. That broke Vargas' span of fourteen straight starts of allowing three earned runs or less in a game. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">What I really think did Vargas in was the Tigers All Star player Miguel Cabrera. After Cabrera hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the second against him, Vargas walked Cabrera two straight times, one intentionally. Both were in the middle of the two innings where the Tigers scored all their runs. Cabrera simply intimidated Vargas. </span></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDr8lY1vrnI/AAAAAAAAA9k/Wxxqs6eidF4/s1600/IMG_2143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDr8lY1vrnI/AAAAAAAAA9k/Wxxqs6eidF4/s200/IMG_2143.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">And rightfully so considering Cabrera is hitting .346 with 22 HRs and 77 RBIs. The previous day during breakfast, I was reading a Sports Weekly in the hotel lounge about Cabrera turning his life around and stopped drinking last season. He actually is now more focused than ever and it shows. Here's the scary thing. Before this season,in his previous six full seasons, Cabrera only once hit less than 33 HRs, never had a full season less than 103 RBIs and in his six full seasons never hit under .292 (and hit above .300 in four of those six full seasons). Cabrera is close to being the Albert Pujols of the AL.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">You could have left the game after the fifth inning. The Mariners were toast. The lineup featured a cleanup hitter hitting .240 and the five through nine batters were for the most part even worse. We actually left for the long trip to Chicago after the sixth inning. Verlander would go seven innings and strike out ten Mariners. Anyone who attended the game could tell that Cliff Lee was going to be traded in a short amount of time. The Mariners are going to need to require a lot of revamping in the offseason. A lot of revamping.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDr-Vu4A8oI/AAAAAAAAA9s/zdDSFFCzcME/s1600/IMG_2151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDr-Vu4A8oI/AAAAAAAAA9s/zdDSFFCzcME/s200/IMG_2151.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Meanwhile, Tigers' fans should rejoice as the Tigers should be good for several years to come. Cabrera is a dominant force in the lineup and Magglio Ordonez makes a great Pippen to Cabrera's Jordan. The Tigers have young star hitters in Austin Jackson and the pictured Brandon Boesch. And Detroit has good young pitching in Verlander, Max Scherzer, and if he can straighten himself out, Rick Porcello. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">As I noted we had seen enough and we headed back to the parking garage to get our car for the long trip to Chicago. But first, I had to take a picture of the large Tiger in the front entrance. So cool. I took a couple of pictures also of the Fox Theatre and of Hockeytown Cafe. As we headed out of the parking garage, we saw a lot of young twenty somethings lined up for a club nearby the stadium, with a lot of the female clubgoers wearing things I would not want my daughter wearing (well if I had a daughter that is). Then, we left Detroit as quickly as we came in. Sadly there was nothing else to see but more abandoned buildings on the highway. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDsAyK-eB4I/AAAAAAAAA98/dx6oYEBbPU4/s1600/IMG_1923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDsAyK-eB4I/AAAAAAAAA98/dx6oYEBbPU4/s200/IMG_1923.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">We then traveled across the state of Michigan. As we did, we ended up taking out a lot of kamikaze bugs on an interstate highway in Michigan. When we stopped for gas later on, Tieff had to clean the windshield and the front of the car a few times from all the bugs that gave up their lives on my Honda Accord. Finally, we got to our hotel room in Chicago around midnight. Another day, another city, another stadium. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">And if you are wondering, "why the title to the article?" Well, we saw lions at the Toledo Zoo. And of course, we saw the Tigers play. Sloth Bears? Well that was also at the Zoo. And if you are wondering what a sloth bear is, look at the picture to your left. Again, the things you learn on a baseball trip.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-82004469921374208222010-07-08T19:11:00.000-07:002010-07-08T19:11:19.922-07:00Day Two - My Second Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ3EJrpA9I/AAAAAAAAA7E/owgMvdD6pAI/s1600/IMG_1840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ3EJrpA9I/AAAAAAAAA7E/owgMvdD6pAI/s320/IMG_1840.JPG" /></a></div>Last Friday, Tieff and I made our way to Pittsburgh. This would be the fourth time I have been at PNC Park. I was there in 2008 with my older son and my Uncle Elmer to see the Pirates face the Astros. Last year, Tieff and I were at two games at PNC, a game vs. the Cubs and another game vs. the Mets, both losses for the Bucs.<br />
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Before we got to PNC, we were able to meet my Uncle Elmer and Aunt Syl for lunch at an Eat And Park in Etna, which is a town right outside of Pittsburgh. My grandparents lived in Etna and many a time I made the trip with my family to Etna as my mom would have the family visit her parents.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ4FefoDlI/AAAAAAAAA7M/bWnnz8wg2X8/s1600/IMG_1827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ4FefoDlI/AAAAAAAAA7M/bWnnz8wg2X8/s320/IMG_1827.JPG" /></a></div>Basically, my entire family tree is from Pittsburgh. My mom was raised here along with her brothers and sisters (my Aunt Syl, my mom's sister is the now sole surviving member of the family). My father is from here and my older brother and older sister were born in Etna. They lived here until the middle 60's when my family moved to Long Island shortly before I was born.<br />
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After a good lunch, Uncle Elmer was kind enough to show us the view from Mount Washington, which overlooks Pittsburgh and now is a place for very trendy restaurants. I had told my Uncle Elmer that I hadn't been there before, but now looking at the pictures, like the one showed, I am pretty sure I was taken there when I was young.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ6u0QihkI/AAAAAAAAA7U/lY4I9UmfVKs/s1600/IMG_1849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ6u0QihkI/AAAAAAAAA7U/lY4I9UmfVKs/s320/IMG_1849.JPG" /></a></div>It was good seeing my Aunt Syl and Uncle Elmer, who as I stated I last saw in 2008. My mom was on that trip and that was the last time they saw my mom before she passed away last November. Outside of the phone call I made to Aunt Syl Friday morning, we didn't talk about my mom at lunch whatsoever. They asked about my two boys and gave me presents to give them when I got back. Tieff enjoyed the stories my Uncle told us about the celebrities he drove around when he was a limo driver and then there was the classic Governor's Island story.<br />
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Basically my uncle got us onto an elite celebration at Governor's Island in the early 90's on July 4th for the Tall Ships, despite not having tickets for it, due to the fact that he hooked up with one of the supervisors who happened to be from Pittsburgh. We had great food, champagne and met Walter Cronkite, the master of ceremonies for the event. Mr. Cronkite just happened to be walking around by himself later that day when we saw him. My uncle, who could never be accused of being shy, walked up to him and ended up talking with us for several minutes. I took a picture of my Uncle Elmer with Walter Cronkite, and he still has the picture. Walter Cronkite was one of the nicest people you could ever meet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ8N_B7vUI/AAAAAAAAA7k/Hfv6xvjC-wU/s1600/IMG_1839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ8N_B7vUI/AAAAAAAAA7k/Hfv6xvjC-wU/s320/IMG_1839.JPG" /></a></div>After hooking up with my Aunt and Uncle, I parked my car in one of the lots and we walked across the bridge to PNC park. Then we decided to walk off our lunch and took a long stroll on the <a href="http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/pictures/ig/pnc_park/river_walk.htm">PNC Park River Walk</a>. The Allegheny River walk runs from PNC Park all the way to the Carnegie Mellon Science Museum. And we did the entire walk.<br />
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It's what really sets PNC Park apart from most other baseball stadiums. People can drive up with their boats, park and take in the game (if they have a ticket of course). Heinz Field is right along the walk as well. It's a picturesque with the river, the view of downtown Pittsburgh, PNC Park, the science museum etc etc.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ8GcgRwPI/AAAAAAAAA7c/VlpCq6HZTRk/s1600/IMG_1836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ8GcgRwPI/AAAAAAAAA7c/VlpCq6HZTRk/s320/IMG_1836.JPG" /></a></div>In fact, the city was getting ready for a July 4th weekend regatta and had music and food stands already setup. There was also a barge setup further down the river for a fireworks show that weekend. However, I was very upset with all these signs along the river walk. How did they I know I was going to be there. And "mooring" can never be prohibited when I am in town (yes, it's a pun on my last name).<br />
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As for the game itself, when we walked in to the park we were each given a black box with a P on it. Cool, a giveaway night. After we got our food and got to our seats, we opened up the boxes to find we got Pirates Collectible Cereal Bowls. And we're not talking plastic crap . These were ceramic and really nice. Sweet. What we also noticed when we got to our seats was a sea of red. Phillies red. A lot of Phillies' fans made the trip from Philly to Pittsburgh and outnumbered the home folks.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ_Q2U9nGI/AAAAAAAAA7s/ys5ka8APcfA/s1600/IMG_1854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDZ_Q2U9nGI/AAAAAAAAA7s/ys5ka8APcfA/s320/IMG_1854.JPG" /></a></div>The game featured the Phils' Jamie Moyer vs. the Pirates' Ross Ohlendorf, two pitchers with ERAs around 4.50. Not exactly Carlton vs. Candelaria on paper. So we expected a high scoring game. But that's why they play the game. <br />
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We were treated to a very unexpected pitchers duel as Ohlendorf and Moyer traded goose eggs for the first three and a half innings. Then in the bottom of the fourth, the Pirates scratched out two runs on three singles, two of the infield kind, a walk and a throwing error by Moyer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDaCihDcO3I/AAAAAAAAA70/tbVZ9T-kjOg/s1600/IMG_1860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDaCihDcO3I/AAAAAAAAA70/tbVZ9T-kjOg/s320/IMG_1860.JPG" /></a></div>Ohlendorf did the rest, striking out eight in seven innings. In fairness, Ohlendorf was facing a Phillies lineup missing Chase Utley and Placido Polanco due to injury as well as Shane Victorino not starting. So the Phillies five through eight hitters weren't very good. But Ohlendorf was still very effective. Octavio Dotel closed the game out and Ohlendorf had his first victory of the season in seven decisions as the Pirates won 2-0.<br />
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Fireworks shot up in the air as the minority Pirates fans celebrated a rare win. We walked out of the ballpark with mostly dejected Phillies fans as we made our way back to my car. And we headed out on the highway to our overnight stay in Toledo, our halfway point to Detroit for the Tigers game on Saturday. Once again, I said goodbye to my second home, Pittsburgh PA, knowing that I will visit it again hopefully next season.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-63826514275974534602010-07-04T07:20:00.000-07:002010-07-04T07:21:41.879-07:00Quick Summary of the Last Two Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCMoPIatlI/AAAAAAAAA6M/8c6GKHM43_s/s1600/IMG_1829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCMoPIatlI/AAAAAAAAA6M/8c6GKHM43_s/s320/IMG_1829.JPG" /></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCLbwf0cvI/AAAAAAAAA6E/e_tMDucd6hY/s1600/IMG_1840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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This will be a quick summary of the last two days. Each day will get it's own blog post in the next few days. It's been a busy last couple of days on our baseball trip. Day two started out by leaving Cumberland and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and heading up the really beautiful and historic Route 40 to Pittsburgh. It's very hilly and there seems to be a lot to do with Laurel Caverns and the such. You can make a nice vacation out of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, Laurel Caverns and a Pirates game.<br />
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In Pittsburgh, we met up with my Uncle Elmer and Aunt Syl at an Eat and Park in Etna, PA. It was good catching up with them and my Uncle Elmer was kind enough to show us Mount Washington which overlooks Pittsburgh. Just terrific views from up there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCLbwf0cvI/AAAAAAAAA6E/e_tMDucd6hY/s1600/IMG_1840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCLbwf0cvI/AAAAAAAAA6E/e_tMDucd6hY/s320/IMG_1840.JPG" /></a></div>From, there it was on to PNC park, which is my favorite baseball park. Just look at the view to the left. It's truly amazing. And it's small and you can walk around most of the ball park. Even better, it's right down by the water and there is a great walkway along the river. In fact, they were setting up for a regatta there on Friday night.<br />
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As noted by my previous post,you know a team is playing well when it's fans show up in abundance on the road. Well, a lot of Phillie fans took the trip from Philly to Pittsburgh. It was a sea of red, as the majority of the fans were Phillie Fanatics. In fact, when the Phillie fans started a "Let's Go Phillies!" chant, the Pirates fans could not drown them out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCPNxCI4OI/AAAAAAAAA6U/95sL3mz3lyE/s1600/IMG_1849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCPNxCI4OI/AAAAAAAAA6U/95sL3mz3lyE/s320/IMG_1849.JPG" /></a></div>As for the game itself, it was surprisingly another low scoring affair. It was certainly surprising in that you had two starters entering the game with an ERA of over 4.00 with Jamie Moyer and Ross Ohlendorf. So a 2-0 game was the last thing we expected. Ohlendorf struck out eight though and the Pirates scratched out two runs on an infield hit and a throwing error by Moyer.<br />
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The Phillies were without Chase Utley and Placido Polanco in their lineup, with both players having been recently placed on the DL. And it seemed their five through eight hitters in the lineup were unusually light hitting for them. But the Phillies made up for it yesterday by scoring twelve runs. Still the loss of Utley for eight weeks will hurt the Phils.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCQ4swNDYI/AAAAAAAAA6c/Sa30pFLpxhk/s1600/IMG_1901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCQ4swNDYI/AAAAAAAAA6c/Sa30pFLpxhk/s320/IMG_1901.JPG" /></a></div>We left PNC and headed to Maumee, Ohio, which is right outside of Toledo to stay in another Fairfield hotel. This was under renovation, so we quickly left in the morning. Our original goal was to go to a shopping mall and spend the afternoon putzing around before we headed to Detroit. But along our GPS guided way, we literally stumbled upon the Toledo Zoo!<br />
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It was a nice zoo and for the price ($11 adults, $8 children), you can't beat it. We spent a good three hours there and there are lots of things for the kiddies to do especially. And yes, it was fun for two forty four year old guys too. I just wish I had my two young sons with me. They would have enjoyed this greatly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCR0hqG9zI/AAAAAAAAA6k/jYT1sv_DcSY/s1600/IMG_2112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCR0hqG9zI/AAAAAAAAA6k/jYT1sv_DcSY/s320/IMG_2112.JPG" /></a></div>From there, we traveled the literally one hour drive to Detroit to Comerica Park. After eating at a very nice sports bar literally across the street, we made our way to the ball field. Comerica is now the 15th MLB ballpark I have been to over the years (including the now extinct Shea and Old Yankee Stadium). And number 15 may now be number one with me.<br />
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Comerica is sooo well done. From the giant tiger at the entrance to the park, to the tiger carousel in the food court, to the ability to walk around the ENTIRE ballpark in an entire unobstructed route, and to the historic decade chronicling centerpieces in the walkway, it's just such a great ballpark to soak up and enjoy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCUMPadvCI/AAAAAAAAA6s/uuSxbFuVsh0/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCUMPadvCI/AAAAAAAAA6s/uuSxbFuVsh0/s320/IMG_2136.JPG" /></a></div>Just like our trip to the zoo, it was smouldering hot in Comerica. And we had great seats, box seats, eight rows from the field down the third base line, in short left field. And the sun was shining down right in our view of home plate for the first four innings, so I am glad we had our sunglasses. Unlike our first two games, the opposing team's fans had no presence at Comerica whatsoever In fact, I don't remember seeing a Mariner fan there at all.<br />
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As for the game itself, well Justin Verlander was dealing against a very weak Seattle lineup. When your cleanup hitter is hitting .234, you know your lineup is not so good. And Verlander took advantage, striking out ten Mariners in seven innings. The Tigers got to Jason Vargas for two runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth. It was the first time that Vargas had given up more than three earned runs in a start since his first start of the season, a span of 14 starts. That's a pretty impressive streak. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCWkbtgPrI/AAAAAAAAA60/Dnw69x0NboQ/s1600/IMG_2161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCWkbtgPrI/AAAAAAAAA60/Dnw69x0NboQ/s320/IMG_2161.JPG" /></a></div>The Tigers are equally impressive though. With Miguel Cabrera having a MVP season, Austin Jackson looking like a steal of a deal from the Yanks, and Brandon Boesch looking like the second coming of Mike Greenwell, but bigger in size, the Michigan Kitties could be the best team in the AL Central. And if they keep getting the pitching from Verlander and Max Schwerzer the night before, they will be tough to beat.<br />
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We left after the sixth inning with the Tigers up 6-0 (they would win 6-1) so that we could make the four hour trip to Chicago. Including a stop for gas and to clean off the windshield and the front of the car for all the bugs I hit in the highways of Michigan (god there were a lot of bugs flying on the highway), we made it in exactly four hours.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCY46nQQLI/AAAAAAAAA68/RGBocXsfDWM/s1600/IMG_2174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TDCY46nQQLI/AAAAAAAAA68/RGBocXsfDWM/s320/IMG_2174.JPG" /></a></div>We made it to our hotel, the Omni, then proceeded to step out and walk around town, ending up in Pippin's on Rush Street till 2:00 am this morning. I write this blog article from the very nice suite we are in the Omni. Tieff is still sleeping as I write this. Today it's Wrigley and tonight it's the fireworks show on Lake Michigan. Not a bad way to spend the fourth.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-4378198553044003072010-07-02T07:42:00.000-07:002010-07-02T07:44:33.093-07:00The Blog Is Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC3vDKnekAI/AAAAAAAAA5M/2J8rTIiHowY/s1600/IMG_1779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC3vDKnekAI/AAAAAAAAA5M/2J8rTIiHowY/s320/IMG_1779.JPG" /></a></div>It's been several months since I typed anything on this blog. My apologies for that. I have been very caught up with work the last two months. And before that, my college basketball blog was on overdrive in March and early April with the year of the mid major in the NCAA Tournament.<br />
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But I want to make up for in a big way. It's my second annual baseball trip. If you look at the archives from last year, you will see we did a similar trip. You learn a lot of things traveling across country. So, again my friend Tony Terentieff and I are traveling around the country enjoying the National Pasttime.<br />
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This year it's seven games in seven days with a focus on the Great Lakes part of the country for want of a better term. The itinerary is listed below.<br />
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July 1 - Mets vs. Nationals - Washington DC<br />
July 2 - Phillies vs. Pirates - Pittsburgh, PA<br />
July 3 - Mariners vs. Tigers - Detroit, MI<br />
July 4 - Reds vs. Cubs - Chicago, IL (Wrigley on the 4th!)<br />
July 5 - Giants vs Brewers - Milwaukee, WI<br />
July 6 - Akron Aeros (AA)<br />
July 7 - Braves vs. Phillies - Philadelphia, PA<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC3wTTEnptI/AAAAAAAAA5U/ON-m1--VpsM/s1600/IMG_1792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC3wTTEnptI/AAAAAAAAA5U/ON-m1--VpsM/s320/IMG_1792.JPG" /></a></div>It's an ambitious trip as we are driving the entire way in my 2001 Honda Accord, which I had a lot of work put into in preparation for this. So far, it's driving like a champ. We have already gone on the first leg of the trip, having gone down to DC for the Nats - Mets game last night.<br />
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I will give each day its own post. I just can't promise that it will be each day we are on this trip. I am learning a few things already. First, my brand new MSI win computer has a very sensitive keypad with my big fingers. So typing has been a chore. Second, I am typing this from Cumberland, Maryland where the Marriott Fairfield is fully packed, but has a 24 hour exercise and separate pool room. Should have taken the swim last night when we got in. Tried to this morning at 7:30 and the guy was working on the pool. Arggh.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC3yWeZW_rI/AAAAAAAAA5c/ngpO21TL3Q8/s1600/IMG_1814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC3yWeZW_rI/AAAAAAAAA5c/ngpO21TL3Q8/s320/IMG_1814.JPG" /></a></div>I can tell you so far that I have a greater appreciation for Nationals Park. Sitting on the third base side in row CC in Section 115, you got a better view of the stadium as a whole. It still doesn't stack up to PNC in Pittsburgh, or Citizen's Bank in Philly, but it's very nice And it has a Five Guys Burger stand! I always heard about their burgers and fries, but I never tried them till last night. Great burgers and perhaps even better fries. Highly recommended.<br />
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Prior to the game, I did some crowd watching. The stadium had a little more than 20,000 people in attendance last night (a little than less than 50% full) A lot of people in the park had of course Stephen Strasberg jerseys. Ryan Zimmerman was a distant second. Also, a lot, and I mean a lot of Mets fans came down to see the game. You can always tell how the Mets are doing by how well their fan base shows up.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC30nib40PI/AAAAAAAAA5s/v5bCYcPlGdE/s1600/IMG_1806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC30nib40PI/AAAAAAAAA5s/v5bCYcPlGdE/s320/IMG_1806.JPG" /></a></div>Also two friends of mine were at the game last night separately as well. My friend Seth was there but I never got to see him (we apparently missed each other while I was online desperately trying to get something to drink that I would like- long story).<br />
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But I knew my good friend Mo Goldman was attending and he came down from his seats to hang out with me. Both Mo and I went old school last night. He had a Roberto Clemente Pirates shirt on while I went with my old school Tom Seaver shirt. We talked about our work, our families, but most importantly our fantasy baseball teams!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC3z81PCAQI/AAAAAAAAA5k/hMaQJHqYV5E/s1600/IMG_1798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC3z81PCAQI/AAAAAAAAA5k/hMaQJHqYV5E/s320/IMG_1798.JPG" /></a></div>As for the game itself, it was an old fashioned pitchers duel as Livan Hernandez and Johan Santana hooked up. The Mets scored a run in the top of the first inning and it looked like it would hold up, as Santana had little problems with the Nats lineup. But in the bottom of the seventh, Nyjer Morgan drove home Ian Desmond with a clutch two out two strike single.<br />
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The Mets couldn't score after the first inning as Livan buckled the Mets with his assortment of curveballs and Bugs Bunny changeups. A lot of slow stuff. In fact, one pitch was clocked at 62 mph. Yup, 62. After Livan left the game after 7 innings, Strasberg's fellow 2009 first round teammate Drew Storen came in and mowed down the Mets in the 8th. He's very impressive. After the Nationals couldn't score in the 8th, Matt Capps pitched a scoreless ninth for the Nats.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC32wh0ZkQI/AAAAAAAAA50/2E-4jd9_osU/s1600/IMG_1815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC32wh0ZkQI/AAAAAAAAA50/2E-4jd9_osU/s320/IMG_1815.JPG" /></a></div>Then came the bottom of the ninth. After Pedro Feliciano got Wil Nieves out, Mets killer Willie Harris worked out a walk. It was a bad walk by Feliciano since Harris is hitting .155 on the season. Morgan followed up with a beautiful drag bunt between the pitcher and first base. Then Christian Guzman drilled a single to left but somehow Harris was held at third base, probably due in part to Ryan Zimmerman being up.<br />
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The Mets decided to put left fielder Jesus Feliciano in the infield for the rarely seen but always enjoyable five man infield. Zimmerman would hit a long enough fly ball to Jeff Francoeur and Harris would score the game winner. The fireworks went off and we headed out to our current destination.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC340S-_oSI/AAAAAAAAA58/C28dtvugDQg/s1600/IMG_1820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/TC340S-_oSI/AAAAAAAAA58/C28dtvugDQg/s320/IMG_1820.JPG" /></a></div>As I finished typing this, I realized why the hotel here in Cumberland is so packed. A loud train whistle just came from outside the room. <a href="http://www.wmsr.com/">The famous Western Maryland Scenic Railroad</a> is right around here and the rail is right outside our hotel room. Thus this great picture. Now I have another trip I can plan with my two sons who love trains. Nice. See the things you learn on a long baseball trip.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-56200465938197330712010-03-03T13:27:00.000-08:002010-03-03T13:28:48.798-08:00Test of Cover it Live<iframe src="http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4b8bfb6b2a/height=550/width=470" scrolling="no" height="550px" width="470px" frameBorder ="0" allowTransparency="true" ><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4b8bfb6b2a" >Test of Live Event</a></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-49125359331937673092009-08-22T02:37:00.000-07:002009-08-22T06:59:22.113-07:00Wagner Not the Answer for the Red SoxLast night, I first watched Brad Penny do a very successful impression of a batting practice machine (well at least for the Yankees it was a successful impression). Then I saw "top prospect" Michael <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bowden</span> equally look like a red and white pinata on the mound. As a result, I had to wonder if the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sox</span> can do anything to stem the Yankee Tide, which right now looks like Hurricane Bill's effects on the north east coastline.<br /><br />Then I was reminded that the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sox</span> claimed Billy Wagner off waivers from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Mets</span> yesterday before the 20-11 beat down at the hands of the Yankees. Wagner, a fourteen year veteran, out for the nearly past year with elbow ligament replacement surgery, is still valuable as he can still hit the mid 90's with his fastball and struck out two batters in his first outing back from rehab against the Braves Thursday night. Who couldn't use a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">flame throwing</span> lefty who is sixth on the all time saves list with 385 saves?<br /><br />Herein lies the problem. First, the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Sox</span> don't need a closer with Jonathan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Papelbon</span> and his 2.08 ERA and 29 saves. Well, the next easy observation is that Wagner could setup <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Papelbon</span>. Well, that's not exactly what the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Sox</span> need either. With Ramon Ramirez (2.67), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Hideki</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Okajima</span> (2.77) and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Takashi</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Saito</span> (2.86), the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Sox</span> have four very good setup relievers. Throw in Josh Bard (3.50) and Manny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Delcarmen</span> (3.47), the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Sox</span> relief corps really don't need much help. So what's the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Sox</span> problem in keeping up with the Yanks?<br /><br />Starting pitching. Only Josh Beckett (3.38) and Jon Lester (3.50) have been solid for the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Sox</span> lately. The jury is still out on Clay <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Buchholz, despite his 3.99 ERA</span>. The jury came back with the verdict on Brad Penny, who was found guilty of not justifying his $ 9.2 million dollar salary with his 5.61 ERA and 160 hits and 17 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">HRs</span> in only 131 innings pitched. John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Smoltz</span> was equally dismal in his short stay with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Sox</span> and Michael <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Bowden</span> may not be ready for prime time. Tim Wakefield and his 11-3 record should be back next week. But Wakefield is more of a back of the rotation pitcher and will be hard pressed to improve on his 4.31 ERA. Dice K may also be back soon but he is even more of a question mark. So much so, the Sox signed Paul Byrd to a minor league contract. Byrd, pitching at Triple A Pawtucket, might be up before Dice K gets back.<br /><br /><a href="http://ninetyfeetfromhome.blogspot.com/2009/08/trade-deadline-winners-and-losers.html">Originally I thought the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Sox</span> were winners at the trade deadline when they acquired Victor Martinez</a>. But hindsight is 20-20 and for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Sox</span> to compete with the Yanks, they needed one more dominant starter - Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Halladay</span>. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Sox</span> may have overestimated the value of young pitchers like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Buchholz</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Bowden</span>. Or perhaps, J.P. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Ricciardi</span> wanted too much from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Sox</span>. The likely answer lies somewhere in the middle.<br /><br />So why did Theo Epstein claim Wagner when the problem is clearly starting pitching? The best guess is that the Sox blocked the Yankees from getting Wagner. The Yankees were looking for a second lefty out of the bullpen, someone with a little more experience than Phil Coke. With Wagner and Hughes setting up Mariano, the Yankees would be unstoppable. The problem though is in the last five games the Yankees have won head to head, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Sox</span> in general can't keep it close enough to get it to the late innings. Last night, the score was 15-4 going into the bottom of the fifth.<br /><br />Another question was where were other teams on claiming Wagner? Yes, teams who claimed him might be responsible for his $3.5 million salary, but no team in the National League needed Wagner??? As you may or may not know, when a team puts a player on waivers, the teams in his league first get an opportunity to claim him in standings order worst to first. If no team claims him in the one league, then and only then can teams in the other league claim him worst to first.<br /><br />Thus Wagner had to go through the entire <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">NL</span> first before going through the AL. Thus several teams who DESPERATELY need relief pitching passed up on Wagner. The first team that comes to mind is the Chicago Cubs, who recently switched from the awful Kevin Gregg to the often wild Carlos <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Marmol</span>. But that shows the Cubs with the recent near sale of the team from the Tribune Company to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Ricketts</span> Family can not add any payroll at this moment. The next team in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">NL</span> standings order was the Florida Marlins. But the Marlins history of low payroll, Wagner was certainly not going to be claimed by them.<br /><br />The Giants would be next on the list and surprisingly Brian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Sabean</span> didn't put a waiver claim in. Brian Wilson has not exactly been lights out as a closer and Wagner would certainly be an improvement. And Wagner's $8 million club option next season seems pretty reasonable for the market place considering Oliver Perez makes $12 million and Derek Lowe makes $15 million with their mediocre to awful statistics. But alas <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Sabean</span> passed as did the Cardinals (they seriously must be out of payroll after adding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Holliday</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Lugo</span>), the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Phillies</span> didn't seem to want a reunion with Wagner, despite how horrible Brad <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Lidge</span> has been and the Dodgers have no need with the addition of George Sherrill at the end of July. Thus that's how Wagner got to the AL waiver claim list. Texas and Tampa Bay have their own payroll issues and neither really needed a reliever either. Thus came Boston.<br /><br />So whether Wagner will go to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Sox</span> or not is in serious question. My guess is that Epstein will only take Wagner if the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Mets</span> take on part or most of the salary. Also don't expect much in return for Wagner if a deal is worked out. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Sox</span> don't need Wagner and Epstein knows it. <a href="http://ninetyfeetfromhome.blogspot.com/2009/07/curious-case-of-neal-huntington_27.html">Thus if the Mets get anything, it will be similar to the haul (chuckle chuckle) the Pirates got for Adam LaRoche</a>. If Billy could go five plus innings, that would be a different story.<br /><br />Prediction - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Mets</span> can't work out a deal for Wagner and let him go to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Sox</span> for nothing with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Sox</span> footing the bill for the $3.5 million. I simply can't see the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Sox</span> and Theo Epstein giving up any Top 20 prospect for Wagner.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-51488148398616504252009-08-11T03:05:00.000-07:002009-08-11T03:41:58.622-07:00Ricciardi 0 for 2The White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sox</span> claimed Alex Rios off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday. The Blue Jays in return received...nothing. No compensation. Not even a lowly minor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">leaguer</span>. Not even a bucket of balls and a few worn bats. Nothing. Yes, the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sox</span> are now responsible for the rest of Rios' entire large contract, which is $61.6 million over the next five years (with a $1.5 million buyout in 2015). But to allow Rios, a two time AL All Star, to go for nothing, well that's just another brilliant move by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Riccardi</span>. Yes, I am being facetious.<br /><br />First, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ricciardi</span> announces to the world that he will take offers for Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Halladay</span>, then decides the offers aren't good enough and holds onto him. It was obvious that he was trying to cut payroll, because in his next move, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Ricciardi</span> trades Scott <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Rolen</span> and his hefty contract to the Reds for Edwin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Encarnacion</span>, Josh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Roenicke</span> and another prospect - I will give <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Ricciardi</span> credit for getting a good return on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Rolen</span>. But then he allows Rios to go for nothing. I understand getting rid of a bad contract. But you couldn't even get some minor league filler? Hell at least Neal Huntington got two mediocre minor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">leaguers</span> for Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">LaRoche</span>!<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Ricciardi</span> even has the nerve to say it was NOT "a financial dump" but said they needed "more financial flexibility". Excuse me, you just let a player go for nothing. I have been in fantasy leagues for years, and JP that's called a "dump". By the way, in any fantasy league, that trade/move would be banned. :-)<br /><br />So what does <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Ricciardi</span> hope to gain by removing $72 million plus, which is what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Rolen</span> and Rios were signed for, from his payroll over the next several years? Signing Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Halladay</span> to a contract extension? If you're <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Halladay</span> and you see in the past ten days that your seven time gold glove starting third baseman was traded and a two time AL All Star <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">centerfielder</span> dumped for "more financial flexibility", do you really want to stay on this team after next season? I think not. <br /><br />By not trading <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Halladay</span> or Rios by the trade deadline, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Ricciardi</span> greatly lost a chance to strengthen his team, especially his minor league system. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Ricciardi</span> is also the person who saddled the Blue Jays with the expensive contracts of Rios and Vernon Wells. It's time for a change in Toronto, otherwise it's more of the same disappointments for years to come.<br /><br />I was in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Waterville</span> Valley, New Hampshire over the weekend for the Curious George Festival, so I missed out on most of the Yankees-Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Sox</span> series. I was still able to catch some of the games though. First thought, perhaps I was too <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">presumptuous</span> to say the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Sox</span> were a winner coming out of the trade deadline. With Dice K and Wakefield hurt, the now designated for assignment John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Smoltz</span> and Brad Penny not getting the job done, and Clay <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Buchholz</span> not ready to be the third ace in the staff, the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Sox</span> rotation is very shaky past Josh Beckett and Jon Lester.<br /><br />The Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Sox</span> perhaps overvalued their prospects when trying to deal with the Blue Jays for Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Halladay</span>. As a result, the roles with the Yankees are reversed. When the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Sox</span> won the first eight games against the Bronx Bombers, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Sox</span> had the better starting staff and bullpen. Now as the season has progressed, the Yankees starting staff has improved, especially with the second half emergence of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Joba</span> Chamberlain and Phil Hughes finally giving the Yankees a legit setup man for Rivera. Meanwhile the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Sox</span>' staff, due to injuries and an overworked bullpen looks shaky. <br /><br />Right now, it looks very difficult for the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Sox</span> to get back in the hunt for the AL East race with their injuries. Yes, they did need to add Victor Martinez to a team where the offense is getting old (Lowell, Ortiz and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Varitek</span> probably won't be on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Sox</span> next year) and banged up (Jason Bay being out has really hurt their lineup). Even with Martinez, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Sox</span> can't match the Yankee lineup. But as always, the difference comes down to pitching. If Michael <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Bowden</span> was ready to contribute, he would be up by now. So perhaps trading <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Buchholz</span> and other prospects to get <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Halladay</span> would have been the smart move. Now they have to try to hold off the Rays, a team with better starting pitching right now, or the Rangers, a team playing in a weaker AL West for the wild card. It's not going to be easy.<br /><br />Kudos to the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Sox</span> for going for it by adding Rios and Jake <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Peavy</span>. If all goes well, within 10 days to two weeks, both will be on the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Sox</span> roster. The White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Sox</span> are too far back in the Wild Card hunt (seven games behind Boston with four teams in front) but they are only three behind the Tigers. Blowing a late lead to Seattle last night while Detroit lost to Boston didn't help. But adding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Peavy</span> to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Buehrle</span>, Floyd and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Danks</span> makes the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Sox</span> staff comparable to Detroit's. Rios gives them lineup flexibility (while maybe not "financial flexibility"). Should be a fun last month and a half in the AL Central.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-23231799451230416642009-08-01T01:36:00.000-07:002009-08-01T08:14:28.140-07:00Trade Deadline Winners and LosersSo the July 31 deadline has come and gone. Several big names were traded before the deadline; Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez, Jarrod <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Washburn</span>, Jake <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Peavy</span> and Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Holliday</span> (yes, last weekend counts before the deadline). So let's look at all the winners and losers from the last few days of trades.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Winners</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Philadelphia <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Phillies</span> </span>- They were able to get the 2008 AL Cy Young Award Winner, Cliff Lee, for four very good prospects, but they did not trade the elite prospects (Kyle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Drabek</span>, Dominic Brown and Michael Taylor) that the Blue Jays so desperately wanted. Ben Francisco gives them a solid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">righthanded</span> bat and speed off the bench. Lee and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Hamels</span> make a great one-two punch, which gives the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Phillies</span> an excellent chance to repeat as world champs this season AND next season. Real nice work by Ruben <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Amaro</span> Jr.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">St Louis Cardinals</span> - Yes, they paid a hefty price for Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Holliday</span>, but they so desperately needed a major bat to complement Albert <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Pujols</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Holliday</span> has already paid dividends for the Cardinals, going 17 for 29 with 8 RBIs in 8 games (and has hits in each of the eight games). Now it's not so easy to pitch around the Machine.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Boston Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Sox</span></span> - Again, another team was able to add an elite player, Victor Martinez, without giving up their elite prospects. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Masterson</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Hagadone</span> and Price are solid prospects, but they didn't give up Clay <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Buchholz</span> or Ryan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Westmoreland</span>, their two best. Being able to trade Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">LaRoche</span> for Casey <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Kotchman</span>, who will only make 3.5 million next year, solidifies their bench this season and gives them a very cheap first baseman for next year. Yes, they didn't get the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">front line</span> starter that they really needed, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Ricciardi's</span> demands were absurd and Theo Epstein knew it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Detroit Tigers</span> - The Twins did a nice job getting Orlando Cabrera. But the Tigers shrewd trade for Jarrod <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Washburn</span> not only made the Tigers a lot better but forced the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Sox</span> to give up a lot for an injured Jake <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Peavy</span>. The Tigers playoff rotation of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Verlander</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Washburn</span> and Edwin Jackson looks awfully good. Dave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Dombrowski</span> - Super Genius.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pittsburgh Pirates</span> - Yes, you read this right. The Pirates are winners from the deadline. They recovered from the absolutely awful Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">LaRoche</span> deal with their trades of Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez and John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Grabow</span>. Jeff Clement will be their first baseman for the next few years, Tim <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Alderson</span> looks to be a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">front line</span> starter, and Kevin Hart looks to be a solid back of the rotation pitcher. Throw in several other players that will beef up their minor leagues and Neal Huntington may have turned the corner. Key term "may" (I still also think the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">McLouth</span> deal was horrid).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cleveland Indians</span> - Yes, just like the Pirates, the Indians had a fire sale. However, when you can land seven quality prospects like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Lou Marson</span>, Jason Donald, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Carlos Carrasco</span>, Jason Knapp, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Justin Masterson</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Nick Hagadone</span> and Bryan Price, you've done well. Lee was going to be a free agent after next season and they weren't winning with Martinez. Both <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Carrasco</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Masterson</span> will be fixtures in the rotation next season. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Marson</span> and Donald should be both playing regularly next year. The rest give them pitching depth in the minors the Indians didn't have.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Oakland A's </span>- Billy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Beane</span> did a nice job getting three top prospects - Brett Wallace, Clay <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Mortensen</span> and Shane Peterson. Wallace can help immediately and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Mortensen</span> and Peterson should be helping out sometime in 2010. Wallace could become an elite hitter.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Los Angeles Dodgers</span> - George <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Sherrill</span> gives the Dodgers they were sorely lacking - a bridge from the starters to Jonathan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Broxton</span>. The overworked LA pen just got a lot better. Yes Josh Bell could be very good. But the Dodgers have a chance to win it all. This had to be done.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Losers </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Toronto Blue Jays</span> - Yes JP <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Ricciardi</span> still has Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Halladay</span> for next year. And sure, you can say Toronto has enough talent to be contending next year. But that's IF, pitchers like Shawn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Marcum</span> and Dustin McGowan among others can come back strong. And remember, the Blue Jays play in the AL East with the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays, all teams better than them currently. So it's certainly far from a sure thing than the Jays can do any better in 2010 than the last two years.<br /><br />But when you make it PUBLICLY known that you will take offers for Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Halladay</span>, knowing full well that you probably won't be able to resign him after 2010, and you don't make any deal by the trading deadline, you have already now lowered the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">price tag</span> for him in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">offseason</span>. No team in their right mind is going to give you anywhere near the offers the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Phillies</span> and apparently the Angels made before the deadline. Any team that wanted <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Halladay</span>, wanted him for two pennant races, not one. When the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Phillies</span> decided to deal for Cliff Lee instead, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Ricciardi</span> was in serious trouble. He was banking on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Phillies</span> bending to his will, but they didn't.<br /><br />Also trading Scott <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Rolen</span>, an excellent defensive third baseman, for Edwin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Encarnacion</span>, a not so good defensive third baseman, but much cheaper, signals "salary dumping". If you're Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">Halladay</span>, you wonder if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Ricciardi</span> truly believes in the Jays after that trade. So that, along with the whole fiasco of the past month, will ensure <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Halladay</span> doesn't resign with the Jays. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Ricciardi</span> just basically slit his own throat with this non-deal. He's gone after next year for sure and maybe even sooner.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cincinnati Reds</span> - Please explain to me how a team that has gone into the tank like the Reds (having lost nine of their last ten) decides to trade a 26 year old third baseman for 34 year old third baseman who is making 11.8 million next year?! Yes Scott <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">Rolen</span> is a defensive upgrade from Edwin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">Encarnacion</span>, but adding significant salary to basically rent a player for a year and two months? Also, the Reds didn't dump any of their veteran talent like Arthur Rhodes, David Weathers, Aaron <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">Harang</span> or Bronson Arroyo. They should have been able to get some mid level prospect for both Weathers and Rhodes. Just some really questionable moves here for a mid market team that really needs to shed payroll.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Seattle Mariners</span> - Someone please also explain to me whether or not the Mariners have multiple personality disorder? One minute they look like they are going for broke by trading for Jack Wilson (and giving up on former first round pick Jeff Clement), who's owed $8 million next year and Ian Snell, not cheap at 4.2 million for a Triple A pitcher. The next minute, they are sending Jarrod <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">Washburn</span> off to the Tigers for two pitching prospects (one grant you is Lucas French, who was pitching for the Tigers at the time of the trade). Either you are in or you're out. Decide.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Los Angeles Angels</span> - The Angels tried to make a late push for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">Halladay</span> yesterday, but they were denied by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">Ricciardi</span> the Absurd. They also tried to make a run for Heath Bell and also fell short. Thus the Angels did not improve themselves. They may still win the AL West, but they are likely to get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New York <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">Mets</span></span> - Yes, they are probably out of the wild card hunt after losing two games in a row, prior to that five game winning streak. But to do nothing, whether it was buy or sell, just shows how dysfunctional the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">Mets</span> are. They could have traded a Pedro <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">Feliciano</span>, a very useful lefty and got some needed minor league depth in return but Omar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">Minaya</span> is too busy trying to recover from a horrible week of PR.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The In Between</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chicago White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">Sox</span></span> - Yes, they finally got the man they have wanted for three months in Jake <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">Peavy</span>. But in May, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">Peavy</span> was healthy. Now it's a question whether he will come back this season at all. And he's still owed a chunk of change for the next two years in a league he is not familiar with, so it may take him a while to be an elite pitcher in the AL. Still, he can be a dominant pitcher. The question is, was it worth depleting the pitching depth in the minors to do this? And trading for Mark <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">Kotsay</span>? Seriously?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">San Diego </span>- Kudos to them for dumping $40 million off the books for a pitcher currently hurt. The question is Clayton Richard, Adam Russell, Aaron <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">Poreda</span> and Dexter Carter worth an elite pitchers such as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">Peavy</span>. It's not quite the bounty the Indians got for Cliff Lee, so we'll see. You have to also wonder why they considered trading Adrian Gonzalez. His salary seems pretty reasonable to me. Ditto for Heath Bell.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Atlanta</span> - Explain to me how trading Casey <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">Kotchman</span> for Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">LaRoche</span> helps, other than my fantasy team (where <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">LaRoche</span> goes from part time on the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">Sox</span> to full time on the Braves)? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_81">LaRoche</span> is a little better offensive upgrade for this season, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_82">Kotchman</span> was only making $3.5 million next year and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">LaRoche</span> is a free agent after this season. So yes, you helped your team this season, but good luck finding a first baseman for less than $4 million next year.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-3314413961222943922009-07-29T20:29:00.001-07:002009-07-30T07:08:19.555-07:00July 29 - A Big Day of TradesThe July 31 deadline was still two days away, but July 29 felt like the trading deadline. There were four deals on July 29, with the Pirates and the Mariners each doing two deals but the monster trade was between the Indians and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Phillies</span>.<br /><br />1) The Indians send Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Phillies</span> for four of their top ten minor league prospects - pitcher Carlos <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Carrasco</span>, shortstop Jason Donald, catcher Lou <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Marson</span> and pitcher Jason Knapp. Lee, the 2008 Cy Young award winner, was 7-9 this season with a very solid 3.14 ERA inn 22 starts. He immediately gives the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Phillies</span> a great 1-2 punch with Cole <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Hamels</span>. Lee has an $8 million option for next year, which the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Phillies</span> will most certainly pick up (considering Oliver Perez makes $12 million a year, Lee is a bargain at $8 million). Francisco has 10 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">HRs</span>, 33 RBIs and 13 steals and was starting most games for the Indians. He will now be the fourth outfielder.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Carrasco</span>, signed by Philadelphia as a free agent in 2003, was the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Phillies</span> #2 prospect. He was struggling at Triple A this season with a 5.18 ERA. However he has 112 strikeouts in 114 innings and his strikeouts to walks ratio is a very good 3-1 ratio (only 38 walks in 114 innings). Donald, drafted in the third round of 2006, recently just came back from surgery on his knee. He has struggled as well at Triple A, hitting only .230. However, when healthy, in his last two seasons at A and AA ball, he hit over .300. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Marson</span>, a fourth round pick in 2004, has terrific patience at the plate, having drawn 239 walks in his major league career. He can hit for average but not for power. Knapp, a former second round pick in 2008, is currently on the minor league <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">DL</span> with shoulder fatigue. However Knapp has struck out 111 batters in 85 innings in A ball this season with a strikeouts to walks ratio of nearly 3 to 1.<br /><br />Analysis - Fair deal for both sides with the advantage going to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Phillies</span>. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Phillies</span> get their ace without giving up their two top prospects, Kyle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Drabek</span> or Dominic Brown (or even Michael Taylor, their top prospect closest to being ready). They also get a good fourth outfielder in Francisco who gives them speed off the bench, something they are really lacking. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Phillies</span> now can be considered right along with the Dodgers as the team to beat in the National League.<br /><br />The Indians get a good deal of talent. Each of the four players they received were listed by Baseball America as being one of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Phillies</span> Top Ten prospects. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Carrasco</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Marson</span> are the closest to helping right now, especially if the Indians trade Victor Martinez today as rumored. Knapp gives them a pitching prospect so desperately needed considering all the pitching prospect failures they have. And if Donald regains his hitting stroke at Triple A, then the Indians may have their second baseman of the future. <br /><br />2) The Pirates send shortstop Jack Wilson and pitcher Ian Snell to the Mariners for shortstop Ronny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Cedeno</span>, first baseman/catcher Jeff Clement and pitching prospects Aaron <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Pribanic</span>, Brett Lorin and Nathan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Adcock</span>. Wilson, who could be a free agent after this season (his contract has a club option of $8 million for 2010), was hitting .267 with four homers and 31 RBIs. But Wilson has been always known for his defense. Snell, who had his best year in 2007 ( 3.76 ERA in 208 innings with 177 innings), has struggled since. So much so that he was sent down to Triple A, where he was downright dominant (0.96 ERA and 47 Ks in 37 innings). <br /><br />Clement, a former first round draft pick, was hitting .288 at Tacoma with 14 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">HRs</span>, 33 doubles and 68 RBIs. With Seattle last season, Clement struggled in 200 plus at bats, hitting .227 with 5 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">HRs</span> and 23 RBIs. As for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Cedeno</span>, at the plate, he makes Jack Wilson look like Derek <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Jeter</span>. This season, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Cedeno</span> was hitting .170 with 5 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">HRs</span> and 17 RBIs in 182 at bats. He is a lifetime .238 hitter. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Pribanic</span>, a third round pick in 2008, had a 3.21 ERA at Class A Clinton. Lorin, a fifth round pick in 2008 and a teammate of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Pribanic's</span> at Clinton, has an ERA of 2.44 and is averaging a strikeout per inning in 88 innings. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Adcock</span>, a fifth round pick in 2006, has struggled at high A High Desert with a 5.21 ERA and 4.5 walks per 9 innings (he does have 260 strikeouts in 320 minor league innings). <br /><br />Trade Analysis - Well, lo and behold. <a href="http://ninetyfeetfromhome.blogspot.com/2009/07/curious-case-of-neal-huntington_27.html">Two days after I wrote at length about Neal Huntington's bad deals</a>, Neal pulls off his first of two good trades of the day. This is the gem of the two. Wilson is a great fielder with some pop. His one home run is not really indicative of Wilson, who averaged nearly 10 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">HRs</span> a season the past five seasons. Still, a relatively light hitting Wilson is not worth $8 million for next season. Snell wore out his welcome in Pittsburgh with an attitude that often didn't match his stats. <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09177/979953-63.stm">He actually requested his demotion to Triple A</a>, noting that there was "Too much negativity." He was due to make $4.25 million next season and that's too much to pay a Triple A pitcher who wants no part of the Pirates. The Pirates should immediately call Clement up and let him play. He definitely has 20 HR potential with the short but high porch at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">PNC</span>. Lorin and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Pribanic</span> look to be future middle starting rotation guys, so the Pirates did very well here.<br /><br />Seattle made this trade thinking they still have a chance for the wild card being five and a half games behind the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Sox</span> coming into Thursday's play (they are not out of the AL West but have a bigger deficit to overcome being seven and a half games behind the Angels). However, there had been talk that Seattle was going to trade Jarrod <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Washburn</span> (and they still might). Wilson will give them the everyday shortstop they need for the next year and two months. But again, he is not worth $8 million. Snell is an absolute wild card. He might pitched to his potential like he did in 2007. Or he might implode again and be the 2009 pitcher with a 5.32 ERA who for his career has averaged 4.5 walks per nine innings. Clement never had a chance to show his potential while with the Mariners and that might come back to haunt them. <br /><br />3) The Pirates send Freddy Sanchez to the Giants for pitching prospect Tim <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Alderson</span>. Sanchez, the 2006 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">NL</span> batting champ and a lifetime .300 hitter, was hitting .296 this season Sanchez plugs an immediate hole for the Giants at second base and gives them a top of the order hitter so desperately needed on a team that is next to last in the National League in runs scored. The doubles machine should find the gaps at AT&T Park to his liking. <br /><br />In <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Alderson</span>, the Pirates get the #62 rated prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Alderson</span>, the 22<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">nd</span> overall pick in the 2007 draft, has pitched well since promoted to Double A. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Alderson</span> has a 6-1 record with a 3.47 ERA and a strikeouts to walks ratio of 3 to 1. The Baseball Cube's scouting report gives <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Alderson</span> 100 percent <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">efficiency</span> rating, a 97 control rating and a 84 K rating. Pretty damn good.<br /><br />Trade Analysis - Good for both sides. Right now, Giants GM Brian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Sabean</span> is going for this year. Sanchez gives the Giants a legitimate two hitter and solid play in the field. He will make $8 million next year which I guess is fine, but here's another team that could have got Orlando Hudson a lot cheaper. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Sabean</span> must also think that with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Lincecum</span>, Cain and Jonathan Sanchez, he could afford to trade <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Alderson</span>. But with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Zito</span> and Randy Johnson on their way out, trading <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Alderson</span> could be a huge mistake if the Giants don't make the playoffs.<br /><br />As for the Pirates, this is two for two for Huntington on the day. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Alderson</span> is a legitimate top of the rotation pitching prospect, something they desperately needed. It's clearly evident that Huntington thought that his farm system and team needed to be completely rebuilt. With the trades of Sanchez and Wilson, Huntington has traded 5/8 of his starting lineup from the beginning of this season (Nate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">McLouth</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Nyjer</span> Morgan, Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">LaRoche</span>, Wilson and Sanchez). <br /><br />4) Mariners trade outfielder Vladimir <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Balentien</span> to the Reds for pitcher Robert Manuel. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Balentien</span> was always a top prospect for the Mariners (was listed as the #5 prospect in 2008). However, he didn't get his 11 rating in contact from the Baseball Cube for nothing. In his two plus years playing for the Mariners, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Balentien</span> has struck out 122 times in 401 at bats, hitting .209. But he did have 12 homers during that time and he has a 97 rating on power. <a href="http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/Robert-Manuel.shtml">Meanwhile Manuel, an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">undrafted</span> free agent, quietly has been one of the Reds best prospects</a>, averaging 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings with a strikeouts to walks ratio of more than 5 to 1 (yes, you read that right). He was the closer at Louisville for the Reds with 10 saves and a 2.70 ERA. He has pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings for the Reds<br /><br />Analysis - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Balentien</span> wore out his welcome with the Mariners with his lack of contact. Thus he was designated for assignment in favor of Michael Saunders before the trade. That the Mariners got such a good pitcher like Manuel in return for him is a win win situation. The Reds, desperate for offense, hope to straighten <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Balentien</span> out. Since they are short in the outfield, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Balentien</span> will get to play right away. Time will tell if the Reds can straighten <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">Balentien</span> out, but I give the advantage for now to the Mariners, who certainly could use the bullpen help.<br /><br />5) From July 27 - The Indians trade Ryan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">Garko</span> to the Giants for pitcher Scott Barnes. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">Garko</span>, who had 90 RBIs last year in less than 500 at bats, was hitting .280 this season with 11 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">HRs</span> and 39 RBIs in 246 at bats. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">Garko</span> immediately becomes the everyday first baseman for the Giants. Barnes, the ninth rated prospect in the Giants system this season, is having a stellar year at Class High A San Jose with a 12-3 record, 2.85 ERA averaging a strikeout per inning in 98 innings.<br /><br />Analysis - Again, the Giants trade a solid pitching prospect for an everyday bat. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">Sabean</span> has certainly upgraded his offense with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">Garko</span> and Sanchez. Has he mortgaged the future trading two solid pitching prospects in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">Alderson</span> and Barnes. Again, its a matter of time, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">Sabean</span> had to do something with the current putrid state of the Giants offense. Will <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">Garko</span> and Sanchez make the difference we'll see.<br /><br />For the Indians, its curious to see them trade a player who had 90 RBIs last season and is just arbitration eligible for the next three years. They could have signed him to a reasonable contract. But with Andy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">Marte</span>, Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">LaPorta</span> and others available to play first, including even Victor Martinez, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">Garko</span> was expendable. Barnes gives the Indians another solid arm in the minors but he is at least two years away. Give the advantage to the Giants for getting a reasonably inexpensive every day bat here.<br /><br />There is still a good amount of time left till the July 31 4:00 PM trade deadline. Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">Halladay</span>, Victor Martinez, George Sherill among others are the big names being talked about. Something interesting usually happens but the past two days have been pretty eventful already.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-38766993007125490312009-07-27T07:22:00.001-07:002009-07-29T06:19:54.337-07:00The Curious Case of Neal Huntington<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmhL4KmXllI/AAAAAAAAAPo/B7kbzvImoCM/s1600-h/101_3117.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmhL4KmXllI/AAAAAAAAAPo/B7kbzvImoCM/s320/101_3117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361618784674616914" border="0" /></a>Last Wednesday afternoon, shortly before the Pirates were to play the Brewers at PNC Park, there was a buzz around the clubhouse that Adam LaRoche (pictured to the left) was being traded. Sure enough, the Pirates shortly later announced that LaRoche was traded to the Red Sox for a Double AA shortstop, Argenis Diaz and Single A RHP Hunter Strickland. LaRoche, a free agent after this season was hitting .247 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs. The last three seasons, LaRoche averaged 26 HRs and 88 RBIs. <div><br /></div><div>Now I don't have a problem with LaRoche being traded. The Pirates are a small market team, and LaRoche is going to be a free agent. Thus, they needed to trade him. But I have two questions for the Pirates.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmhLicTmfNI/AAAAAAAAAPg/WgmUgvPxlfw/s1600-h/101_3222.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmhLicTmfNI/AAAAAAAAAPg/WgmUgvPxlfw/s320/101_3222.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361618411470617810" border="0" /></a>1) Since LaRoche was going to be a free agent at the end of the season, why didn't they trade him sooner and keep Nate McLouth instead? Nate McLouth (pictured here) was signed in February of this season to a three year 15.75 million dollar contract with an option for 2012. Pretty reasonable for an all star hitting outfielder who had 26 HRs, 93 RBIs, 113 runs scored and 23 steals in 2008 and won't turn 28 till October. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yet the Pirates traded McLouth to the Braves in the beginning of June for pitchers Charlie Morton, Jeff Locke and Gorkys Hernandez. What was the reason behind this? Money? Did they think the 27 year old McLouth had reached his ceiling and couldn't get any better? If it was money, why sign him to the three year contract in February? Certainly you thought he was worth it then. What would change your mind barely two full months in the season?! If it was money, why not trade LaRoche then? He was the free agent at the end of the season. There were teams that certainly needed a power hitting first baseman at the time McLouth was traded. Carlos Delgado was already on the shelf for the Mets by the time the Pirates traded McLouth. Just doesn't make sense.</div><div><br /></div><div>2) If you are going to trade LaRoche, couldn't you have got one good prospect that's nearly ready or at least one very good prospect? Seriously, Diaz was hitting .253 at Double A, with no pop (no HRs, 14 doubles and 1 triple in 277 at bats). He is a very good fielder (named Boston's best minor league defensive player of the year three years in a row). But he hasn't shown he can hit nor does he have speed (only seven steals in eleven attempts this season). And the other player, Hunter Strickland was an 18th round pick of the Red Sox who had a 3.35 ERA at Single A Greenville in the South Atlantic League. LaRoche's numbers were down this season but his career OPS in the second half of the season is .941, which is pretty impressive. Yet, the Pirates could get only two minor league players who may never get to the majors and if they do, it will certainly take Strickland at least two years and Diaz probably one full year. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a pretty simple reason. Money. The Red Sox were willing to assume the rest of LaRoche's contract for the season (nearly 3 million). Apparently other teams were willing to offer a better prospect but couldn't take all the money. Even more the reason to have traded LaRoche sooner. They could have eaten some of the money (say the 4 million they paid him already this year), traded him sooner and got a better player in return. The Pirates already have moved Diaz to Triple A Indianapolis to try to placate their remaining fan base.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmhVKYt3PaI/AAAAAAAAAPw/PSPIH59dAZU/s1600-h/101_3225.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmhVKYt3PaI/AAAAAAAAAPw/PSPIH59dAZU/s320/101_3225.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361628993306443170" border="0" /></a>If these two trades don't make you start questioning the Pirate franchise, <a href="http://ninetyfeetfromhome.blogspot.com/2009/07/day-2-baseball-trip-pittsburgh-chicago.html">then perhaps this dandy of one done on my baseball trip</a> will finally convince you. On Monday, June 29th, I saw Nyjer Morgan (pictured left) play left field and bat second for the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC against the Chicago Cubs. On Friday, July 3rd, I saw Nyjer Morgan play centerfield and hit leadoff for the Washington Nationals against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park. That's because the Pirates traded Morgan on Wednesday, July 1st to the Nationals for Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan. </div><div><br /></div><div>In 278 at bats, Morgan was hitting .277 for the Pirates with 18 steals and an on base percentage of .351. In 70 at bats for the Nationals, Morgan is hitting .329 with 11 steals and an on base percentage of .368. Milledge, had been sent down by the Nationals after the first month and was still out due to an injury he suffered in the minors. Hanrahan, briefly the Nats closer had a ERA of 7.71 with the Nationals while giving up FIFTY hits in 32 innings this season. </div><div><br /></div><div>Morgan is also known as an excellent defensive outfielder (just ask the Mets on their recent road trip to DC on how good Morgan is) while also being a really positive influence in the clubhouse. Milledge is a well known cancer who the Mets happily traded away to Nats (during the moronic Jim Bowden era) and the Nats couldn't be more happy to be rid of as well (on that same day they got rid of Milledge, they sent down the equally troublesome Elijah Dukes to make a spot for Morgan - a win, win, win situation for the Nats). As I noted in my previous trip post of the Nats-Braves game, one fan described the Pirates getting Hanrahan as "I guess the Pirates saw something in Hanrahan that we hadn't seen in the first sixty games". </div><div><br /></div><div>What do all these moves have in common? One man, Neal Huntington, general manager of the Pirates. Huntington was hired as general manager of the Pirates in October, 2007. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Huntington">Under Huntington, the Pirates have stressed sabermetrics,</a> or perhaps I should say Huntington's brand of sabermetrics. Under Huntington, the following trades were made.<br /><br />1) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xavier_Nady" title="Xavier Nady">Xavier Nady</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damaso_Marte" title="Damaso Marte" class="mw-redirect">Damaso Marte</a> to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> in exchange for minor leaguers <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Tabata" title="Jose Tabata" class="mw-redirect">Jose Tabata</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Karstens" title="Jeff Karstens">Jeff Karstens</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Ohlendorf" title="Ross Ohlendorf">Ross Ohlendorf</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dan_McCutchen&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Dan McCutchen (page does not exist)">Dan McCutchen</a>. Nady at the time was hitting .330 with 13 HRs and 57 RBIs in 327 at bats. He added 12 HRs and 40 RBIs in 227 ABs for the Yankees (giving him 25 HRs 97 RBIs in 554 ABs - very nice numbers). Marte at the time of the trade had a 3.47 ERA and averaged a strikeout per inning in 47 innings pitched. Marte would struggle with the Yankees the remainder of the year posting an ERA of 5.00. Nady and Marte have been hurt most of the 2009 season, Nady needing Tommy John surgery on his elbow.<br /><br />As for the "booty" the Pirates received in return, the prize prospect was Jose Tabata, an outfielder with a questionable attitude and background. Tabata, 21, is repeating Double A ball again this year at Altoona, showing very little power (2 HRs and 13 doubles in 200 ABs) while hitting .290 with only six steals. McCutchen, a little old for a prospect at 26 (turns 27 in October), has been OK with Triple A Indianapolis with a 9-5 record with a 4.19 ERA and a ratio of 3-1 in strikeouts to walks. He was a 13th round pick of the Yankees back in 2006. Both<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Smmmb9MwJUI/AAAAAAAAAP4/BcBUgETB25I/s1600-h/101_2780.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Smmmb9MwJUI/AAAAAAAAAP4/BcBUgETB25I/s320/101_2780.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361999830576014658" border="0" /></a>Karstens and Ohlendorf have been up with the Pirates since the trade last year. Karstens, a 19th round pick of the Yankees in 2003, got off to a good start in 2008 for the Pirates before cooling off with a 4.03 ERA in nine starts. This season Karstens struggled and was sent to the bullpen. Currently he has a ERA of 4.26 ERA in 25 games (with 10 starts). Karstens has a very poor strikeouts to walks ratio of 1-1 (36-36) in 82 innings. Ohlendorf, a fourth round pick of the Diamondbacks in 2004 (traded to the Yankees in the 2007 Randy Johnson deal), has equally as struggled. In 2006, Ohlendorf had an ERA of 6.46 in 62 innings with the Pirates. This season, Ohlendorf has a 4.59 ERA in 19 starts. Ks to walks are also a problem for Ohlendorf. Last year it was 49-31 and this season it's 62-32 in 111 innings (the walks have improved).<br /><br />2) Jason Bay to the Red Sox, Manny Ramirez from the Sox to the Dodgers for Brandon Moss, Andy LaRoche, Craig Hansen and Bryan Morris (Pirates picked up two players each from the Dodgers and the Red Sox). Bay, of course, was an All Star for the Pirates, having two 100+ RBI seasons. He would end up with 101 RBIs in 2008 with a combined 31 HRs for both the Pirates and the Red Sox and he is having a good year with 20 HRs and 72 RBIs. The return for Bay was not horrible, but not great either. Moss is hitting .254 with 5 HRs and 27 RBIs, while LaRoche is hitting .262 with 4 HRs and 37 RBIs. So Moss and LaRoche have 11 less HRs and 8 less RBIs combined than Bay. LaRoche is a former 39th round pick of the Dodgers while Moss was an eighth round pick of the Sox.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hansen, who makes as much money as LaRoche and Moss combined ($825,500) is a former first round pick who has been out most of the season with a nerve issue in his neck. Hansen had struggled in his two seasons with the Red Sox putting up ERAs over 6.00 in both seasons. Hansen was consistent in his time with the Pirates last season, also putting up an ERA of 6.00. Meanwhile, Bryan Morris, who was selected in the first round by the Dodgers in 2006 is struggling at A Ball with an ERA over 5.00.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>3) Pirates acquire Delwyn Young for two players to be named. The Dodgers had designated Young for assignment and the Pirates traded two minor league players for Young. It was actually Huntington's best move as general manager. Young, a switch hitter, has hit .321 for the Pirates with 4 HRs and 21 RBIs in 159 at bats. He is probably not an everyday player, but certainly is a nice bat to have off the bench.</div><div><br /></div><div>4) Nate McLouth to the Braves for pitchers Charlie Morton, Jeff Locke and Gorkys Hernandez. Morton is now with the Pirates and actually has shown some talent in his seven starts with a 3.86 ERA. Locke, a former second round pick of the Braves, has struggled in his two seasons in the minors and currently has a ERA of nearly 6.00 in 82 innings at A ball. Hernandez, signed as a free agent by the Tigers in Venezuela in 2005, is at Double A Altoona, where he is hitting .294 overall for the season with an ugly 93 strikeouts in 391 at bats and an even worse ratio of 14 steals in 26 attempts. Hernandez also only has 2 HRs on the year. </div><div><br /></div><div>The deal was so criticized by the Pirates media and fans that <a href="http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/130772">Huntington had to send an "open letter" e-mail out to Pirates fans to defend the deal</a>. In fact, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did an editorial after the deal noting the Pirates ownership should sell the team, stating "It's time Pittsburgh baseball had ownership worthy of the game." Ouch!</div><div><br /></div><div>5) Eric Hinske to the Yankees for pitcher Casey Erickson and outfielder/catcher Eric Fryer. Hinske was signed as a free agent for one year at 1.5 million by the Pirates. He strictly was a role player for the Pirates and really was not needed on the Pirates with a crowded outfield and LaRoche at the time playing first. Hinske has 5 HRs on the year, most of that coming with the Yankees. Erickson is a former 10th round pick of the Yankees and actually has pitched well in A Ball averaging a 3-1 strikeouts to walks ratio. Fryer was selected by the Brewers in the 10th round in 2007 before being trading to the Yankees. Fryer has struggled at Single A, hitting .245 overall. </div><div><br /></div><div>6) Nyjer Morgan to the Nationals for Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan. At least Milledge and Hanrahan are major leaguers, albeit Hanrahan is not a very good one. The jury is still out on Milledge, who has three big league seasons under his belt, hit .268 last season for the Nats with 14 HRs, 61 RBIs and 24 steals in 523 at bats. Currently Milledge is hitting .354 for Indianapolis since the trade. </div><div><br /></div><div>My favorite Lastings Milledge moment when he was the with the Mets in 2007 and I was at my friend Joe's house on a Friday night for a party. A friend of his stunningly said the Mets should move Carlos Beltran (he of the two gold gloves) to right and put Milledge in centerfield (I was already aware of the scouting reports that said Milledge was a corner outfielder). Milledge was traded after the season to the Mets for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider. As many baseball people know, Milledge proved with his erratic play last season that he is not a centerfielder, while Beltran won another Gold Glove. That guy was also a supposed computer expert and he was also clueless about Macbook Pros too, so he was two for two on the idiot scale.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now Milledge might turn out to be a good ball player. But two teams, the Mets and the Nats, both cut Milledge loose. Two teams who weren't exactly stocked with good outfielders. Milledge was considered a risk by the Mets when they drafted him due to a questionable reputation. He has proved with his behavior in the majors so far that his reputation might have been warranted. And when the trade went down for Nyjer Morgan, a well liked player in the Pirates clubhouse, the Pirates' players sounded off. </div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>6) LaRoche to the Red Sox for Argenis Diaz and Hunter Strickland. See above for analysis.</div><div><br /></div><div>So out of six trades Huntington has made, only one, the Delwyn Young trade, looks to be good so far. The Hinske deal was strictly a salary dump. However, he should never have been signed in the first place. And LaRoche should have been traded in late May, early June. That could have been money used towards keeping McLouth. Look at the lineup the Pirates could have had today, had they kept McLouth.</div><div><br /></div><div>CF Andrewl McCutchen</div><div>LF Nyjer Morgan</div><div>RF Nate McClouth</div><div>C Ryan Doumit</div><div>1B Garrett Jones</div><div>2B Freddy Sanchez</div><div>3B Andy LaRoche</div><div>SS Jack Wilson</div><div><br /></div><div>Not bad and you very might have one of the best defensive teams in the major leagues. Alas, no. And you can't say that the McLouth trade was not money. The Brewers have 2/3 the market size that Pittsburgh has. Yet Milwaukee has a $80M payroll while the Pirates maybe have $50 million (if even that). </div><div><br /></div><div>Now I went back in time and I noticed that Huntingtons were involved in several major deals in history.</div><div><br /></div><div>1) Neal's grandfather, M. Donald Grant Huntington, was responsible for the trade in 1977 that sent Tom Seaver from the Mets to the Reds for Pat Zachary, Doug Flynn, Dan Norman, and Steve Henderson . Apparently Neal idolized Donald so much that he swore when he was GM of a club someday, he too would make such great deals. </div><div><br /></div><div>2) Neal's great great great great grandfather, Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours Huntington, was responsible for selling the United States the 828,000 acres of land in the Louisiana Purchase (cost, $15 million). Apparently Huntington was on orders from Napoleon Bonaparte to "find any means necessary to fund my war with Russia, even if you have to dump the Three Musketeers."</div><div>The United States ended up getting 14 states and Canada getting 2 provinces, kind of like the Red Sox getting Jason Bay and the Dodgers getting Manny Ramirez.</div><div><br /></div><div>3) Neal's long ago descendant, Grand Chief Huntington, a member of the Canarsee Tribe, was the chief negotiatior responsible for selling the island of Manhattan to Peter Minuit, aka the Theo Epstein of New Amsterdam, for 60 guilders in 1626 (which would be $1000 now). Huntington did get a get town in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canarsie">Brooklyn, Canarsie, named after his tribe</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now of course, I am being facetious about the long line of Huntingtons involved in these deals. However, all of the other facts in those above mentioned deals did occur (sans the Bonaparte quote). I have two points. One, Huntington is like M. Donald Grant, the French, and the Canarsee Tribe. Perhaps you might want to hold onto what you have. Down the road, it might be worth a lot more than now. Don't be so quick to deal your assets.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sm23X88-99I/AAAAAAAAAQA/HOlg4b04wKA/s1600-h/101_2797.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sm23X88-99I/AAAAAAAAAQA/HOlg4b04wKA/s320/101_2797.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363144353394915282" border="0" /></a>Second, Neal might want to tell his employers, you need to spend money to make money. Nickel and dime your team and you will end up with a team worth a nickel and a dime. Just look a few hours west to Milwaukee to see what you can do with a little more salary and better minor league development. Sadly, there's a reason why only 15,000 a night to come out to see the Pirates in what I think is the best baseball park in the major leagues . The proof is in the management.</div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;font-family:-webkit-sans-serif;font-size:13;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16;" > </span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-39006876538653111592009-07-25T03:57:00.000-07:002009-07-25T04:45:29.678-07:00The Good, the Bad and the Neal Huntington<p>There have been a few trades in major league baseball the last few days. They have a range of good, bad and ugly, or as I like to call it "The Good, The Bad and the Neal Huntington."<br /></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Good</span> - The A's trade star outfielder Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Holliday</span> to the Cardinals for third baseman Brett Wallace, outfielder Shane Peterson and right-handed pitcher Clayton <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mortensen</span>. The A's also threw in 1.5 million in cash in the deal.</p><p>The A's got two former first round picks in Wallace and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mortensen</span>, who are in Triple A, and a former second round pick in Peterson who is in Double A. This is in exchange for an outfielder in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Holliday</span> who was hitting 286 with 11 homers and 54 RBIs but last season hit .321 with 25 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">HRs</span> and 88 RBIs, and who is a free agent in two months and 1.5 million in cash.</p><p>The Cardinals got the star hitter that Tony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">LaRussa</span> so desperately wanted to back up Albert <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Pujols</span> with and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Holliday</span> responded with a four for five first night as the Cards pounded the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Phillies</span>. The lifetime .316 hitter will be very happy to be playing for a first place team and should see LOTS of good pitches to hit with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Pujols</span> in front of him.</p><p>However, the Cards did give up a lot for a player they will have for a little more than 2 months (3 months if they <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">make</span> the playoffs). Wallace is one of the top 10 prospects in baseball currently and his bat is ready for the major leagues. However, his glove is a question mark and he may end up at 1B for the A's. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Mortensen</span> is only spending his second year in the minors and is already at Triple A. He projects as a back end of the rotation starter. Peterson is an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">OBP</span> machine who fits in with Billy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Beane's</span> ideal type of players. He is starting to hit for a little more power, as he has hit seven home runs this season as opposed to only one home run last season. But for Peterson, this is also his second year in the minors <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">and the</span> A's desperately need a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">leadoff</span> hitter<br /></p><p>But give Cardinals GM John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Mozeliak</span> credit for at least going for the brass ring. He knows with a starting staff of Chris Carpenter, Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Wainright</span> and Joel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Pineiro</span>, his team probably has the best starting rotation in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">NL</span> Central. And now with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Holliday</span> to combine with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Pujols</span> and hopefully Ryan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Ludwick</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">resurging</span>, the Cards are now the team to beat. Sometimes you have to give up a lot to get a lot. As for Billy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Beane</span>, he again proves how to get talent for talent.<br /></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Bad</span> - The Cardinals trade outfielder Chris Duncan to the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Sox</span> for shortstop Julio <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Lugo</span>. Now the Cardinals needed a shortstop really bad with Khalil Greene's anxiety issues and Brendan Ryan not really a true shortstop. The question is will <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Lugo</span> be the starting shortstop and are the Cardinals kicking in any salary? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Lugo</span> has 13.5 million left on his contract (not one of Theo Epstein's better moves). <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1186536"><br /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1186536">The Boston Herald says that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Sox</span> are going to be responsible for his contract,</a> but does that mean the Cards are responsible for Duncan's $825,000? Who knows, but I find it hard to believe that Theo Epstein would pay for the entire remaining contract of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Lugo</span> plus the 2.5 million for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">LaRoche</span> (see below), plus the the $825,000 for Duncan. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Lugo</span> by the way was hurt most of the season till recently, when the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Sox</span> designated him for assignment. He was hitting .284 with one home run in 37 games, so he still can play. Duncan was hitting .227 with 5 home runs and 32 RBIs and was sent to Triple A. Duncan will be strictly depth on a crowded <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Sox</span> bench. You just wonder if the Cards could have just waited for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Lugo</span> to be released, which is what most people thought and then sign him.<br /></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Neal Huntington</span> - The Pirates trade Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">LaRoche</span> for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">shorstop</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Argenis</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Diaz</span> and pitcher Hunter Strickland. The Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Sox</span> will assume the rest of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">LaRoche's</span> salary for the season, 2.5 million.</p><p>The Pirates got a .253 hitting Double A shortstop who was signed as a free agent and a 18<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">th</span> round pick pitcher in Single A ball for a first baseman who was hitting .247 with 12 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">HRs</span> and 40 RBIs (last season .270 25 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">HRs</span> and 85 RBIs), who was a free agent at the end of the season, but historically has a .900 OPS the second half of the season and also averaged 26 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">HRs</span> and 88 RBIs the last three seasons. </p><p>The A's got two players who were former first round picks and another player who was a former second round pick for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Holliday</span>. Huntington couldn't even get a player considered in the<a href="http://www.soxprospects.com/"> top ten prospects for the Boston Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Sox</span></a> in his deal. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Holliday</span> deal only reinforces how bad this deal was for the Pirates. In fact, the #11 prospect for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Sox</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Yamaico</span> Navarro was immediately moved up to Portland to replace <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Diaz</span>. Somehow I don't think the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Sox</span> are going to miss <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Diaz</span>.</p><p>That's just real awesome work by Huntington. Nice to see he is continuing in the tradition of inept Pirate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">GMs</span> such as Dave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Littlefield</span> and Cam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Bonifay</span>. In fact, I have been so impressed by the ineptitude of Huntington, he will be featured in my next article entitled "The Curious Case of Neal Huntington".<br /></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-25505204967815234682009-07-22T04:31:00.000-07:002009-07-22T05:21:06.627-07:00The Halladay SweepstakesI will do my AL second half preview in the next day or two. But more important news. As many of you have heard, the<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4346295"> Blue Jays have set a July 28 deadline</a> for trading Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Halladay</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Halladay's</span> start next week would be July 29, so Toronto GM J.P. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ricciardi</span> decided that if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Halladay</span> would be traded, it would be before that next start. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ricciardi</span> has also stated that it is most likely a deal will not get done. This is because, <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/jon_heyman/07/21/daily.scoop/index.html">as CNN/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">SI's</span> Jon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Heyman</span> reports</a>, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Phillies</span> refused to include Kyle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Drabek</span> (Doug's son) in any trade offer, <a href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4344011">despite what Buster <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Olney</span> says</a>, and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Mets</span> turned down a 4-1 offer of Jon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Niese</span>, Fernando Martinez, Bobby Parnell and minor league shortstop Ruben <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Tejada</span> for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Halladay</span>. Apparently <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Ricciardi</span> is not getting the offers he wants.<br /><br />This is not surprising considering the offers the Twins got or more importantly didn't get for Johan Santana, before settling on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Mets</span> offer. However, the <a href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4341083">Blue Jays need to trade <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Halladay</span> now as Buster <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Olney</span> also says</a>, because his trade value will go down after the season since teams will only have him for one season (see Santana above). The fact is that when J.P. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Ricciardi</span> made that announcement that they would look at offers for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Halladay</span>, he made his own bed. If he doesn't trade <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Halladay</span> now and waits till the off season, he will be offered less and the result will be a deal that may likely end his tenure as Jays GM. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Ricciardi</span> made the bed, now he has to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">lay</span> in it.<br /><br />If Heyman's report is true, the GM who really needs his head examined is Omar Minaya. Now, yes the Mets this season, even with Halladay, are not going anywhere most likely. However, there are other factors to consider.<br /><br />1) N ext season, you will have a healthy Reyes, Beltran and most likely a better hitting David Wright back. Put Halladay and Santana together, and you have the most dominant 1-2 punch rotation in the majors.<br /><br />2) Halladay keeps the Mets fan base together. Can't stress that fact enough. Brand new ballpark that the Mets want to get revenue back for and right now, due to the Mets struggling play, there are lots of seats available on Stubhub and other ticket sites for Mets games. If the Mets don't make any deals at the deadline and wave the white flag, the Mets ticket base will dwindle for this season and next, especially with this economy. A Halladay deal tells the fans "The Mets still care and want a winning product". Mets fans will be more likely to stick with the ship.<br /><br />3) Citi Field is a pitchers park. I repeat CITI FIELD IS A PITCHER'S PARK! Why not get the best pitcher in the game and use the park to your advantage?! Think about this, the Mets offense is terrible. Yet Johan Santana is 11-7. Compare that with Cliff Lee who has similar numbers on the Indians, a team with a better offense, yet he is 5-9. That's because CITI FIELD IS A PITCHER'S PARK! Duh!<br /><br />4) Halladay makes the staff better. Think about it. Halladay is your #2 starter. That makes Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez and John Maine (if healthy) your backend starters. Pelfrey is not a #2 and right now he is facing other teams #2 starters. It's not a good matchup. Make him the #3 or #4 and it's a more favorable matchup.<br /><br />5) I have seen enough of Niese, martinez and Parnell to say that of the three, Niese is probably the best of the bunch. He might be good, but definitely not on a level for Halladay for years to come and still hasn't cracked the Mets rotation this season, despite how mediocre its been. When Martinez played with the Mets, Keith Hernandez consistently commented (probably to the detriment of Martinez' trade value) that Martinez can not turn around on fastballs consistently with the stance he has. Third, Parnell is a work in progress. He might be good someday, but he was originally a starter in the minors who the Mets moved to the bullpen. That might be a signal. Finally, Ruben Tejada is in Double A. He is hitting for a decent average and has shown the ability to take a walk and yes he turns 20 years old on September 1st. But he doesn't have a lot of pop yet nor does he have big numbers in the steals department (8 stolen bases in ten chances).<br /><br />6) Based on #5 above and how the Santana deal worked out, how can you not trade for Halladay?<br /><br />Anyway, the Phillies minor league system is better than the Mets and their starting rotation numbers are terrible (#25 in the major leagues). Cole Hamels has been a disappointment, Jamie Moyer is starting to show his age, Joe Blanton is well Joe Blanton, a decent back end of the rotation guy and Rodrigo Lopez was picked up off the scrap heap. Only J.A. Happ has been very good consistently for the Phillies. Add Halladay and you're talking a legitimate chance to repeat as World Series Champs. It's a no brainer for the Phillies to add a guy who throws 200+ quality innings the past three years and in the past four years is 63-26 on a team with a middle of the row offense (Blue Jays are 7th in the AL in runs scored). Put him on the Phils, 2o wins for sure!<br /><br />The sleeper team in the Halladay Sweepstakes is the Yankees. I know they are going good right now having won seven in a row and Brian Cashman has publicly stated that he won't be trading any prospects at the deadline. However, if the Phillies won't part with Drabek, if the Mets don't wake up out of their coma and Boston stands Pat, the Yankees might come in and swoop in and take Halladay for 75 cents on the dollar. They know that their back end of the rotation has struggled with Andy Pettitte, Wang and to a lesser extent Joba Chamberlain (hello Sergio Mitre). They have the minor league system to offer prospects and they can swap a good young outfielder like Brett Gardner or Melky Cabrera and have the Jays include Vernon Wells in the deal. I could see that happen.<br /><br />Anyway, the time to trade Halladay is now. Ricciardi has to live up to his own words. Now will he pull the trigger or wait till he finds out he has less ammunition in the off season. Lets hope for his sake, he shoots first and asks questions later. Otherwise, others will be asking questions later.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-20903412333627382312009-07-16T05:10:00.000-07:002009-07-17T05:29:40.642-07:00The Second Half of the Season Starts Today - National League Preview<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBca4EoETI/AAAAAAAAAOI/hOpHxFgLOdE/s1600-h/101_3064.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBca4EoETI/AAAAAAAAAOI/hOpHxFgLOdE/s320/101_3064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359385173369033010" border="0" /></a>The All Star Break is over (thank god!). And now we can look forward to the second half of the season. For many fans, especially <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mets</span> fans, the second half couldn't be worse than the first....or could it? There are a lot of interesting pennant and wild card races to discuss, so let's get to it by starting with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">NL</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">NL</span> East</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Phillies</span></span> have a 6 1/2 game lead and seem to be on all cylinders having nine of their last ten. Jimmy Rollins has fix his swing and apparently awaken from his seemingly endless first half coma. That's bad news for the rest of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">NL</span> East. Throw in a healthy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Ibanez</span>, a surging Ryan Howard and good pitching from J.A. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Happ</span> and the outlook looks bad for the other <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">NL</span> East contenders. However, there is hope for the rest of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">NL</span> East. Cole <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Hamels</span> has struggled. Brad <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Lidge</span>, though now healthy, has been far from lights out. The rest of the pitching staff is so <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">beleaguered</span> that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Phils</span> went out and signed Pedro "5 Innings is the Limit" Martinez. That sounds like an act of desperation and that may also say the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Phils</span> are not going to go after Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Halladay</span>. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Phils</span> are a better road team (26-15) than home team (22-23) so that also bodes well for the contenders. As the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Mets</span> have shown the past two years, no lead is safe in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">NL</span> East.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Marlins </span>have been surging too, going back up over .500 due to a strong June and July despite a .500 record in their last ten games. The reason, the duo of Josh Johnson and Ricky <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Nolasco</span>. Good pitching takes you far and great pitching even farther and lately they have been great. A healthy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Hanley</span> Ramirez also helps. Ramirez has been on fire and is hitting now .349 with a sick OPS of .979. The one weakness has been the bullpen where Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Lindstrom</span> struggled before going on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">DL</span>. He is due back in August and Leo Nunez and company must now hold the fort. The question will be "Will the Fish take on payroll to make a run?" Supposedly the answer is yes. We'll see.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBcj1C9dnI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/93TJAeNLuG8/s1600-h/101_3224.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBcj1C9dnI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/93TJAeNLuG8/s320/101_3224.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359385327175562866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Braves</span> have been as mediocre as their record, 43-45. This is due in large part to the Braves struggling to score runs. Only four teams in the National League have scored less runs than the Braves (and no, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Mets</span> are not one of those teams). Nate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">McClouth</span> has not been the answer so far to the Braves hitting woes and if Bobby Cox thinks Ryan Church is, he is sadly mistaken. However, the Braves pitching staff rocks. Javier Vasquez, Derek Lowe, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Jair</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Jurrens</span> and Tommy Hanson make a very formidable row. If the Braves can get Tim Hudson back in August, there is hope. However the Braves don't seem to be capable of adding payroll so the team they have now is it. Chipper Jones, specifically his (pictured here) health, is the key to whether the Braves can at least compete for the wild card.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBbVgRVvWI/AAAAAAAAAN4/jY3vqhQpqE0/s1600-h/101_3040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBbVgRVvWI/AAAAAAAAAN4/jY3vqhQpqE0/s320/101_3040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359383981568933218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Mets</span></span> were probably the biggest disappointment in all of major league baseball in the first half. Everyone understands losing your <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">leadoff</span> (Jose Reyes), three hole (Carlos Beltran) and cleanup (Carlos Delgado) hitters for a significant amount of time will be very difficult to overcome. But to be such a bad fielding and fundamentally lacking team is amazing (and not a good amazing). Top that with substandard starting pitching (seriously who thought signing Oliver Perez to a three year 36 million dollar deal was a good thing - a topic for another day) and you have the recipe for a unmitigated disaster. It's really surprising the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Mets</span> are NOT WORSE than 42-45 at the moment. Credit David Wright (pictured here), Johan Santana and Frankie Rodriguez for keeping the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Mets</span> afloat. Beltran, Reyes and Delgado don't look to be back soon. John Maine might be, but it probably won't matter. Could be lots of empty seats at the new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Citi</span> Field in August and September.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBc758HFSI/AAAAAAAAAOY/n5J29pzSDfw/s1600-h/101_3230.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBc758HFSI/AAAAAAAAAOY/n5J29pzSDfw/s320/101_3230.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359385740805870882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Nationals </span>are barely worth mentioning. Jim <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Riggleman</span> will try to play spoiler now that management has fired the inept Manny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Acta</span>. Ryan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Zimmermann</span> (pictured here) has a chance to establish himself as one of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">NL's</span> elite in the second half. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Nyjer</span> Morgan was a nice acquisition by the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Nats</span> and should provide a little spark for a team that sorely needs it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">NL</span> Central<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Cardinals</span></span></span> have Albert <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Pujols</span>. I repeat. The Cardinals have Albert <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Pujols</span>. That alone will keep the Cards in contention. Factor in a starting staff with Chris Carpenter, Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Wainright</span> and a rejuvenated Joel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Pineiro</span> and the Redbirds are the team to beat in the Central. St. Louis could stand a little more hitting and a little bit of bullpen help. But if Ryan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Ludwick</span> rights himself and Troy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Glaus</span> and recently acquired Mark <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">DeRosa</span> both can come back from injury, the Cards should be just fine. Colby <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Rasmus</span> will be a future star, that's if the Cards don't trade him to Toronto for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Halladay</span>. If that happens though, the Cards now jump to the top of the class with the Dodgers.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Brewers</span> are the feel good story of the first half of the season. No <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Sabathia</span>. No Sheets. No problem. Thanks to a terrific effort by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Yovani</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Gallardo</span>, and of course the stellar hitting of Ryan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Braun</span> and Prince Fielder, the Brewers are two games out and only two and half games out from first place. The biggest concern for the Brewers is the rest of the rotation after <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Gallardo</span>. David Bush could be out a significant amount of time. Manny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Parra</span> has been relegated to the pen (rightly so with that 6.78 ERA), while Braden <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Looper</span> and Jeff <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Suppan</span> have struggled. For the Brewers to succeed, they will need more starting pitching to compete with the Cards. Could we see a dark horse in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Halladay</span> sweepstakes?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBafYravnI/AAAAAAAAANo/a35Ija2vI2s/s1600-h/101_2799.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBafYravnI/AAAAAAAAANo/a35Ija2vI2s/s320/101_2799.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359383051817893490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Cubs </span>have had really good pitching the first half (this despite a disappointing first half by Rich Harden, pictured here). Only the Dodgers and the Giants have given up less runs. Problem. No team in the National League has scored less runs than the Cubs. Thus a 43-43 record. The Cubs have the most upside of any other teams in the Central not named St. Louis. With the return of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Aramis</span> Ramirez, the Cubs offense should improve. Derrek Lee looks to be on a mission right now. Now if someone could find the Milton Bradley of last season and just keep Carlos <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">Zambrano</span> grounded, then the Cubs could be the team to beat. Rich Harden must have a better second half. If he does, the Cubs are in very good shape.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Astros</span> </span>can hit. It's the usual suspects - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Berkman</span>, Pence, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Tejada</span>, and Lee. But surprisingly enough, Michael <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">Bourn</span> has also been a very effective <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">leadoff</span> hitter. The problem is similar to the Brewers - pitching. When you trot out Mike Hampton, Brian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">Moehler</span> and Russ Ortiz regularly as part of your rotation, you are asking for trouble. Thus a 44-44 record. Yes Hampton and Ortiz have been serviceable, but their history points to a rough second half for both. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">Moehler</span> just plain stinks. If the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">Astros</span> can add a third starter to complement the always solid Roy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">Oswalt</span> and the emerging <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">Wandy</span> Rodriguez, then the Minute Maid Park faithful will be happy and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">Stros</span> will be competitive.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBawSsgSFI/AAAAAAAAANw/MBIUKEVuhas/s1600-h/101_2997.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBawSsgSFI/AAAAAAAAANw/MBIUKEVuhas/s320/101_2997.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359383342269614162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Reds</span> are on the precipice at 42-45. The Reds have talent with Joey <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">Votto</span>, Johnny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">Cueto</span> (pictured here), Brandon Phillips and Chris Dickerson. Francisco <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">Cordero</span> has been very good. Unfortunately Edison <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">Volquez</span> has been hurt a lot and the Reds can't hit as a team in general. Only the Padres and the Cubs have scored less runs than the Reds. The lineup has struggled with Jay Bruce in a year long batting average funk (now on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">DL</span> with a fractured wrist) and no production at third base since Edwin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">Encarnacion</span> was out for most of the first half due to injury. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">Encarnacion</span> is back so hopefully the offense picks up. However <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">Volquez</span> needs to be back and Aaron <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">Harang</span> and Bronson Arroyo must step up and help <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">Cueto</span> in the rotation for the Reds to contend. Don't expect the Reds to make any moves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBbjBbovoI/AAAAAAAAAOA/TqbHrC_Lx48/s1600-h/101_3049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBbjBbovoI/AAAAAAAAAOA/TqbHrC_Lx48/s320/101_3049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359384213808791170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Pirates</span> won't be in the hunt but have a chance to affect the hunt. Expect to see the Pirates try to trade Freddy Sanchez, Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">LaRoche</span> and Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">Capps</span> before the deadline. The Pirates have some young players who can stand out in Andrew <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_81">McCutchen</span> and Garrett Jones. But Neal Huntington has done a poor job in receiving enough talent for his top traded players in the past year. Huntington has traded Jason Bay, Xavier Nady, Nate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_82">McLouth</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">Nyjer</span> Morgan in the past year and only really so far has Brandon Moss, Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_84">LaRoche</span> and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_85">medicore</span> Ross <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_86">Ohlendorf</span> to show for it (perhaps Charlie Morton acquired in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_87">McLouth</span> trade will help). It's another long August and September for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_88">Buccos</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_89">NL</span> West<br /><br />The Dodgers</span> are the elite of the National League. They have the best record at in the majors at 56-32 and now they have Manny Ramirez back from his suspension. The reason they were so good is they have depth in the outfield and Juan Pierre did an absolutely terrific job while Ramirez is out. The Dodgers' lineup is so good that Matt Kemp, he of the .316 batting average often hits eighth. EIGHTH! Orlando Hudson was a huge pickup on the cheap and made the Dodgers infield defense even better. Andre <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_90">Ethier</span> and Chad <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_91">Billingsley</span> are stars in the making. If the Dodgers can add one more starter to complement <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_92">Billingsley</span> and Wolf, they have a chance to win it all.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Giants</span> have been the surprise of the National League so far with a 49-39 record. They certainly aren't doing it with hitting as only the Padres, Cubs and Reds have scored fewer runs going into the start of the second half. The Giants have done it with the one - two punch of Tim <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_93">Lincecum</span> and Matt Cain, both of whom are 10-2 and both have an ERA of under 2.40. When your first two starters are 20-4, chances are you are going to be over .500. However, the rest of the staff is a mediocre 29-35. Jonathan Sanchez has come on of late with the no hitter and a 3.66 ERA. But his 3-8 record shows that when the Giants don't limit their opponents under three runs, outside of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_94">terrific</span> Pablo Sandoval, they can't hit their way out of trouble. Randy Johnson and Barry <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_95">Zito</span> have also struggled. The Giants are the team most likely to come back down to earth. The Giants can use another starter and another bat..desperately.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBph8g_NpI/AAAAAAAAAOo/LZf-piaynxQ/s1600-h/101_2471.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBph8g_NpI/AAAAAAAAAOo/LZf-piaynxQ/s320/101_2471.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359399588471977618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Rockies </span>are the other big surprise of the National League the first half of the season. Left for dead by many after the firing of Clint Hurdle, new manager Jim Tracy resurrected his team. The Rockies have gone 30-13 since Tracy took over the reigns. Much of this can be traced to the pitching staff, where Jason Marquis has learned to throw strikes with great results. Marquis leads the pitching staff with an 11-6 record and a 3.65 ERA. Marquis is one of the three starters, along with Aaron Cook and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_96">Ubaldo</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_97">Jiminez</span> who have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_98">ERAs</span> under 4.00, which is incredibly impressive at Coors Field. The bats have been solid too, as Brad <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_99">Hawpe</span> and the re-emergence of Todd <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_100">Helton</span> have led the way. Throw in a fine season by Huston Street and the Rockies are right in the hunt for the wild card.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBt1YwRXmI/AAAAAAAAAPI/SuPAu3KuapI/s1600-h/101_3001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBt1YwRXmI/AAAAAAAAAPI/SuPAu3KuapI/s320/101_3001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359404320516300386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Diamondbacks</span> were crushed from the outset with the loss of Brandon Webb and Conor Jackson to injury. Toss in a really weak bottom of the lineup and thus the 38-51 record. Mark Reynolds, Felipe Lopez and the absolutely terrific <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_102">Juston</span> Upton (pictured here) are a nice trio to build around. And Dan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_103">Haren</span> is having an absolutely terrific season (9-5 , 2.01 ERA) that's been <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_104">overshadowed</span> by the injury to Webb and the weak overall hitting.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Padres</span> are brutal at 36-53. What did you expect when you don't have Jake <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_105">Peavy</span>, the rest of your pitching staff has given up the second most runs in the National League IN A PITCHER'S PARK! And you have the worst scoring offense in the major leagues with a starting outfield by all regards should be in Triple A. Ladies and Gentlemen, your San Diego Padres.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBpxkJTk4I/AAAAAAAAAOw/356323fCO14/s1600-h/101_2474.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBpxkJTk4I/AAAAAAAAAOw/356323fCO14/s320/101_2474.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359399856808104834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wild Card</span><br /><br />Right now, I am going to go on record saying the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_106">Phillies</span> and Dodgers will win their divisions. I think that's a pretty safe bet. That leaves the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_107">NL</span> Central. Somehow I think the Cards hold off the Cubs thanks to a better top of the rotation and one Albert <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_108">Pujols</span>. That leaves the wild card. Right now, nine teams are within seven games of the wild card, with five teams with 4.5 games.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_109">Ok</span>, let's start eliminating some teams. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_110">Mets</span>, the Reds and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_111">Astros</span> will all <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_112">ultimately</span> fall by the waste side. Too many holes in each of these teams. The Brewers simply don't have enough starting pitching to hang, so eliminate them eventually as well. The Braves have the starting pitching but have to deal with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_113">Phillies</span> and the Marlins. Their lack of hitting might cost them against those teams so I will rule them out. Likewise, I think the Marlins are out, because after Johnson and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_114">Nolasco</span>, the rest of the staff is suspect (and that includes Chris <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_115">Volstad</span> who has struggled lately). I think the Braves and Marlins cancel each other out.<br /><br />That leaves the Cubs, the Rockies and the Giants, the wild card leaders. I really think if the Giants don't make any moves, they will drop down to earth. I really don't like the back of their rotation. Sanchez is the key here. If he continues to pitch like he did in his no-hitter, then the Giants stand a real good chance. If he returns to his wild form, then it stands to believe that Cain and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_116">Lincecum</span> will be hard pressed to match their 10-2 records from the first half. Brian Wilson is also not Mariano Rivera. I think the Giants fade in the second half.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBrKvo_sFI/AAAAAAAAAO4/z_3M8RsukVk/s1600-h/101_2780.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBrKvo_sFI/AAAAAAAAAO4/z_3M8RsukVk/s320/101_2780.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359401388902166610" border="0" /></a>So now that leaves the Cubs and the Rockies. The Cubs have very solid pitching, if they get their act together. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_117">Zambrano</span> needs to focus and Harden needs to think Wrigley Field is on the road (his road ERA is terrific). A healthy Ryan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_118">Dempster</span> will help. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_119">Aramis</span> Ramirez should return to form and make a really solid 1-2 punch with Derrek Lee. The questions are the rest of the team. Can they get enough hitting from Milton Bradley and Alfonso <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_120">Soriano</span>? When will <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_121">Geovany</span> Soto be back? Can the bullpen led by Kevin Gregg hold on? There's a reason why the Marlins cut bait with Gregg. Just two many questions with the Cubs for my liking. Plus they will be battling with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_122">Astros</span>, Brewers and Reds who all think they are still in the hunt not just for the wild card bu the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_123">NL</span> Central too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBsfaQF58I/AAAAAAAAAPA/RYjYfOvIgUo/s1600-h/101_2476.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SmBsfaQF58I/AAAAAAAAAPA/RYjYfOvIgUo/s320/101_2476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359402843449452482" border="0" /></a>That leaves the Rockies. I have seen nine baseball games live this season. No team impressed me more than the Colorado Rockies. I have already mentioned their starting pitching staff and also the job Huston Street has done this season. I have also mentioned the terrific hitting they have got from Hawpe and Helton. Throw in solid seasons by Clint Barmes and Troy Tulowitski and the lineup is solid. Derek Fowler will be a future star and his speed adds a lot to the Rockies lineup. But what I liked most about the Rockies when I saw them against the Pirates is that they play defense. That infield now with Ian Stewart playing third is quite possibly the best defensive infield in the National League. And Fowler and Hawpe in the outfield are really solid.<br /><br />The key will be if Marquis doesn't have one of his second half swoons. If Marquis continues to throw strikes and pitch as well as he has, then the Rockies are going to be difficult to beat. Plus the Rockies are as good on the road (25-22) as they are at home (23-19). They are consistent. Finally they play in the weakest of the three NL divisions. They should be able to feast on the DBacks and the Padres, plus they should start beating the Giants as well. The Rockies are my pick for the NL Wild Card.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-47530777805134080162009-07-15T04:28:00.000-07:002009-07-15T05:26:57.098-07:00Baseball Trip - Epilogue<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl2_mggB3nI/AAAAAAAAAMw/RgEBrmstJZA/s1600-h/29058854.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl2_mggB3nI/AAAAAAAAAMw/RgEBrmstJZA/s320/29058854.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358649799920967282" border="0" /></a>The American League beat the National League 4-3 last night. The American League has not lost an All Star Game since 1996 (hey that's because Chelle and I got married a month prior - I am telling ya, 96 was a great year for a National League guy!) Carl Crawford (image courtesy of the NY Times) may have saved the day by robbing Brad Hawpe of a home run in the bottom of the seventh.<br /><br />With the win, the American League champion will have home field advantage during the World Series. Yeah, that's fair..not. That rule was enacted after the 2002 game ended in a tie because they ran out of players during an extra inning game. If I was Joe Torre, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team with the best record in baseball, I would be furious right now. Then again, it's Torre and his mismanagement of the 2002 AL roster that resulted in this "brilliant" Bud Selig idea.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3AVe2GKwI/AAAAAAAAAM4/CKwB7OIYRKc/s1600-h/P7041438.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3AVe2GKwI/AAAAAAAAAM4/CKwB7OIYRKc/s320/P7041438.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358650606930504450" border="0" /></a>Now on to the epilogue of our trip. You don't have a trip like ours, the six ball games in six days, without people who made it possible. First, I have to thank my wife Michelle, commonly referred to by me as "Chelle". She let me go on this trip, while yeomanly taking care of our two boys during this time. Chelle didn't have any vacation time till August so unfortunately there was no way she or the kids could have gone (we are making up for that by going to the Curious George Festival in Waterville, New Hampshire in early August..have to see if there are any minor league teams there.. LOL).<br /><br />As you can see from the picture with Mr. Met from our friend Scott's July 4th party, Chelle, like me, is a life long met fan. She also has a fondness for baseball, as she has traveled with me to games in San Diego, Arizona, Durham and Charlotte (or maybe it's a tolerance). The last two games were on a trip to North Carolina. She's been to many a Mets games with me over the years. She's also the world's biggest Todd Pratt fan! That last comment is an inside joke. I'll share it sometime. :-) Anyway, she's the main reason this trip happened. So honey, thank you and I love you dearly!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3CBTqutVI/AAAAAAAAANA/c4OIspaEkwQ/s1600-h/101_3102.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3CBTqutVI/AAAAAAAAANA/c4OIspaEkwQ/s320/101_3102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358652459355911506" border="0" /></a>This trip also doesn't happen without the vision, organization and good nature of one man, Anthony J. Terentieff, my dear friend of nearly 25 years (we met in college). Tieff, as I call him, is pictured here in the left in full Phil Laak mode (if you don't know Laak, google him and you'll understand the reference). Hey, it was a cool rainy day in Pittsburgh.<br /><br />Originally, when I came up with this idea of the trip to Tieff, I had imagined a four day, three game trip, leaving Sunday for Pittsburgh's game Monday, then Cleveland, then Cincinnatti. Tieff called me back a few days later and on the phone, he had me write down the itinerary that it became to be. I was stunned as was my wife because Tieff is not exactly known for being Mr. Plan Ahead. Well, he liked my idea so much that he ran with it. Tieff was also responsible for the Comfort Inn Marathon we had (six days, five different Comfort Inns) and also drove in his Dodge Durango, which I have nicknamed the Big Red Machine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3Ek361zFI/AAAAAAAAANI/TYPUf6V27_w/s1600-h/101_2550.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3Ek361zFI/AAAAAAAAANI/TYPUf6V27_w/s320/101_2550.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358655269405838418" border="0" /></a>I was responsible for getting all the game tickets (basically all field level except for the Terrace Box seats near home plate for the Orioles game). I was also Sulu the navigator, responsible for picking towns to stop and eat in (Somerset PA - good choice) and to crack the whip when we needed to go faster (which we didn't need to, but I have not only a lead foot, but a lead foot navigation..LOL). But Tieff was the main man here and without him, this trip would never have been so fun and also so expansive. Tieff also had to endure endless calls from his job, so this vacation helped deal with that crap. Thanks so much Tieff!<br /><br />As for the Comfort Inns, I want to thank all the staff at every Comfort Inn we stayed at; Pittsburgh East, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cambridge (OH), and Greencastle, PA. The staff were incredibly friendly at all of these Comfort Inns. The rooms were clean, comfortable and the breakfast free. To Bob at the Greencastle Comfort Inn - it was an absolute pleasure talking to you. Special thanks to the clerk at the Comfort Inn Pittsburgh, our second leg of the trip. Without you, we don't find the Birdsfoot Golf Club.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3GJ-LkOdI/AAAAAAAAANQ/LgkuOJm8poo/s1600-h/0630091124.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3GJ-LkOdI/AAAAAAAAANQ/LgkuOJm8poo/s320/0630091124.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358657006253390290" border="0" /></a>Speaking of which, a big thank you to Dennis, the part time manager of the Birdsfoot Golf Club. Dennis, you couldn't have been nicer going over the course with us. But especially, thank you for the best hoagie, I ever had. Don't know if your home-made meatball heroes can top the pepperoni one, but I hope to someday find out. And the course is a really gem of a find. I highly recommend those of you reading the blog who like golf to check it out.<br /><br />To all the friendly ushers, security, concession staff and gift shop people at Orioles Park, PNC, Progressive Field, Great American Ballpark and Nationals Park, thanks for being so kind and courteous. Tieff and I did not have one issue or problem at any of the ball parks we were at. The management at each of these ball parks should be proud of the people that work for them. I also want to throw a special kudos to the D.C. Police department. You had two very helpful and friendly police officers help us out the final day of our trip in D.C. And finally, a special thank you to the desk attendant at the Smithsonian Art Museum. She kindly gave us a map and pointed us on our way to the Air and Space Museum and Nationals Park.<br /><br />To HOK and the people responsible for the ball parks in each of the cities we visited. Thanks for creating such wonderful ball parks, each of which we enjoyed immensely.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3IBj5-qAI/AAAAAAAAANY/utn86Zy0okQ/s1600-h/101_2754.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3IBj5-qAI/AAAAAAAAANY/utn86Zy0okQ/s320/101_2754.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358659060784605186" border="0" /></a>Finally, to the people of Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Cincinnatti. Hang in there. We could tell by the sparse crowds at each of these games that many of you right now can't afford to go to the ballpark often enough as you would want. Driving by the closed GM plant on our way to Cincinnatti reminded us how how the economy has hurt you guys the most. It's my sincere hope that the economy will rebound and you will again get to enjoy three of the best ballparks in the country on a regular basis (and here's hoping to meaningful pennant races in each of your cities in the near future). Hopefully this blog will spur others to take a similar baseball trip and visit your great ball parks and other attractions in your cities.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3Jt8IHUmI/AAAAAAAAANg/Rmx8dV8cfZw/s1600-h/101_2574.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Sl3Jt8IHUmI/AAAAAAAAANg/Rmx8dV8cfZw/s320/101_2574.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358660922712216162" border="0" /></a>Well, I hope you enjoyed my log of our six day baseball trip. Don't worry, just because the trip ended doesn't mean the blog ends. This blog is my take on the baseball world and there will be plenty to write about the next two and a half months. There's pennant races, the July trade deadline. The soap opera known "As the NY Baseball World Turns." And of course, nothing is better than October baseball.<br /><br />Come along for the ride. Remember, here you're always only ninety feet from home.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-53393966848498424712009-07-13T02:04:00.000-07:002009-07-13T06:44:56.598-07:00Day 6 - The Final Day of the Baseball Trip - Braves vs. Nationals<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slr9U8PhNSI/AAAAAAAAALA/HUg0yza5kkA/s1600-h/101_3193.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slr9U8PhNSI/AAAAAAAAALA/HUg0yza5kkA/s320/101_3193.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357873242921055522" border="0" /></a>So the day had come, our final day of our baseball trip. We stayed in another Comfort Inn in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Greencastle</span>, PA (I think Comfort should start being a sponsor of my blog), which is right along the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Penn - </span>Maryland border. Our hotel clerk (I think his name was Bob) late Friday evening was a Korean War veteran who had family and friends on Long Island, so we struck up a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">conversation</span> with him. Nice man.<br /><br />Since we got in so late (again), we stumbled out of bed Friday morning just in time for the continental breakfast. We were the only ones there at 9:30 in the morning. So, we headed off the D.C. for the last game of our trip, the Atlanta Braves vs. the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park (notice no sponsor - Yea!). We decided to leave early because we knew traffic in D.C. on the July 4 weekend would be crazy and we also knew that we had to find someplace to park in the city. So, we got there early and found a reasonable ($10 for the day) parking garage that was open until 3:00 am. Now where do we go?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slr6ujJvyEI/AAAAAAAAAKw/wttZZAphpes/s1600-h/101_3131.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slr6ujJvyEI/AAAAAAAAAKw/wttZZAphpes/s320/101_3131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357870384327673922" border="0" /></a>Easy, go to the Air and Space Museum. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Tieff</span> had never been there and I had been there twice over the years and it's a great place to go. First, you have to stand on a line to get in and go through security. It's not bad though, it moves and I think in our case it was no longer than 30 minutes (I think it was less actually). Once past security, the picture to my left is the first thing you see in the open area.<br /><br />Now, I have this knack of running into people I know over the years in places not even located in New York. This is happened on the ferry from New London to Orient Point, in the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Shelburne</span>, Vermont and other places such as Penn Station at 2:00 in the morning (several times). So, as we passed through security on that Friday, I heard "Gary!". I was like what are the chances, so I ignored it. Again, I hear "Gary!". Again, I ignore it. Finally, I hear "GARY!", I look and there is my colleague, Jen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Gundlach</span>, the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Hofstra</span> Law School (where I work) and a terrific person. We hugged and laughed about how we were both here. She told me she was here to visit family and friends (she used to teach at American University Law School before going to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Hofstra</span>) and I told her and her family about our trip. Her son thought it was so cool, he gave me a fist bump. Too funny!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slr9EYXxT2I/AAAAAAAAAK4/_xf0Ljgs1Ac/s1600-h/101_3143.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slr9EYXxT2I/AAAAAAAAAK4/_xf0Ljgs1Ac/s320/101_3143.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357872958414081890" border="0" /></a>I love the Air and Space Museum! To me, that is the first destination anyone should go to when they are in D.C. I grew up loving planes, especially World War II planes. When he was in the Air Force stationed in England, my brother would draw World War II planes, send them to me in the mail and I would hang them up on my wall in my bedroom. So for me, the best exhibit in the Air and Space Museum is the World War II exhibit, as pictured with that B17 Flying Fortress mural to the left. In that exhibit is a glass case listing of ALL the World War II aircraft by country with miniature replicas of each plane. There are several World War II planes there as well on exhibit, including a P51 Mustang and a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Messerschmidt</span> ME 109, including the engine for it (damn that was huge!).<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slr_EdmpPiI/AAAAAAAAALI/o6pfeORyMEk/s1600-h/101_3135.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slr_EdmpPiI/AAAAAAAAALI/o6pfeORyMEk/s320/101_3135.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357875158841900578" border="0" /></a>Also, they have a World War I exhibit which features a WW I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Collectibles</span> glass case montage which features Snoopy and his Sopwith Camel, fighting the Red Baron. It also includes the Snoopy and the Red Baron game AND the <a href="http://www.dogfightgame.com/about.html">Milton Bradley "Dogfight" Game</a>, both of which I had growing up! When you're eight years old, who knew they would be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">collectibles</span>! Yeah, just like baseball cards. Sigh. There are a lot of other great exhibits, including the Naval exhibit and the Space exhibits of course. Anyway, after touring the entire wonderful museum which will take you a good two hours (and it is a GOOD two hours), I got a couple of little planes for my two sons, Matthew and Jonathan and left for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Nats</span> game.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsBxbULAAI/AAAAAAAAALQ/3xQALQFYdTg/s1600-h/101_3196.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsBxbULAAI/AAAAAAAAALQ/3xQALQFYdTg/s320/101_3196.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357878130344919042" border="0" /></a>We decided to walk from the Air and Space Museum to Nationals Park. My guess is this took 20-30 minutes and got a little help in the location from a D.C. police officer parked in his car. Once we got to Nationals Park, another very friendly D.C. police officer saw me taking a picture of the stadium and offered to take a picture of me with the stadium, which is pictured at the beginning of this article. I guess he saw the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Notre</span> Dame shirt I was wearing, and he figured I was from out of town. But he couldn't have been nicer. We went into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Nats</span> Team Store where the staff there couldn't have been any nicer as well. We noticed some Braves' jerseys out on display, since the Braves were in town. There was another rack of other team jerseys. We moved the jerseys around so that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Mets</span>' jerseys stood at the front. :-)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsEudtk2fI/AAAAAAAAALY/PLrW2Z6RJ4s/s1600-h/101_3200.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsEudtk2fI/AAAAAAAAALY/PLrW2Z6RJ4s/s320/101_3200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357881377983617522" border="0" /></a>As for Nationals Park itself, which opened last year, well the Red Porch restaurant area and the unique hat look to it stood out. We thought an Uncle Sam hat would rise up every time a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Nats</span> player hit a home run (alas, not the case). The second impression once I got a look at the field is that unlike <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">PNC</span> Park, which is very intimate, Nationals Park is really big. Too big. Now here is the kicker. It only seats 41,888. It sure seems a lot bigger than that. It is definitely a pitchers park. The dimensions are 332 down the left field line, 377 in left center, 402 in dead center field, 375 in right center and 335 down the right field line. It doesn't seem that large, but it plays bigger. Unless you're Adam Dunn and no park, including Yellowstone National, can keep your moonshots from leaving the field. Now, don't get me wrong, it's a nice park, but it's kind of plain. No uniqueness to the outfield. They had a live band playing in the picnic area, which I thought was great. The picnic area is expansive, but it needs more chairs and the concessions are not that great outside of Ben's Chili Bowl (which I had to pass on due to an upset stomach) and a neat little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">gelato</span> stand a little down the ways in the second deck (which I definitely didn't pass on).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsHy8hp5mI/AAAAAAAAALg/v1K7Zt0upzc/s1600-h/101_3223.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsHy8hp5mI/AAAAAAAAALg/v1K7Zt0upzc/s320/101_3223.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357884753509475938" border="0" /></a>As for the game itself, we got treated to another wild affair. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Nats</span> are the worst team in baseball. Often bad baseball teams are the result of a pitching staff that consists of retreads and young pitchers who could use some more seasoning in the minors, but are the best the team has to offer at the moment. Such is the case with one Ross <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Detwiler</span>, a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">lefthander</span> out of Michigan State. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Detwiler</span> was picked in the first round of the 2007 draft and was rushed up to the big leagues this year. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Detwiler</span> has struggled this year with a 6.40 ERA and has given up 69 hits in only 52 innings pitched. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Detwiler</span> is not the first to experience struggling as a rookie. Tom <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Glavine</span>, Greg <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Maddux</span>, and John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Smoltz</span> struggled as rookies to name a few. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Detwiler</span> could eventually be good. But right now, he is not good at all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsR7SWTf6I/AAAAAAAAALw/-fBgOitEjkQ/s1600-h/101_3227.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsR7SWTf6I/AAAAAAAAALw/-fBgOitEjkQ/s320/101_3227.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357895891922681762" border="0" /></a>That night was no different for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Detwiler</span>. However, it was the Nationals who jumped on the Braves early. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Nyjer</span> Morgan, who was just traded to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Nats</span> the day before, singled, stole second and scored on a Josh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Willingham</span> single. The Braves would score a run in the second to tie the game at one. However, the Nationals would score again in the second on an infield RBI single by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Detwiler</span> and then a single by Nick Johnson that scored <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Detwiler</span>. However a Chipper Jones RBI double and a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Yunel</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Escobar</span> single brought the Braves fans to their feet and the game was tied at three.<br /><br />By the way, is there any hitter with a prettier swing from either side of the plate than Chipper Jones? Seriously, the guy is just a great hitter and that comes from a great swing.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsPDUR6O2I/AAAAAAAAALo/SyDgG_1keY8/s1600-h/101_3231.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsPDUR6O2I/AAAAAAAAALo/SyDgG_1keY8/s320/101_3231.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357892731345189730" border="0" /></a>But the game was not tied for long. Adam Dunn, pictured here, hit a rocket off Braves starter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Kenshin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Kawakami</span> over the right center field fence and put the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Nats</span> up 4-3. It was Dunn's second home run of our trip, as he had hit one on Sunday vs. the Orioles. Dunn would be the center of a mini argument that I had with a Nationals fan in the top of the fourth. After Chipper Jones tied the game at four with a single, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Yunel</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Escobar</span> hit an absolute shot on a line to left field. Dunn immediately realized it was going to be over his head, and turned his back and ran. The ball hit off the track and short hopped the wall for a RBI double. The Braves were now ahead 5-4. The fan in front of me yelled "A real left fielder would have caught that. I had to respond, which I did with "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Cmon</span>, be serious. Willie Mays would not have caught that ball (and he wouldn't have)." He responded in kind and we had a discussion, with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Tieff</span> even chiming in that there was no chance for anyone to catch that (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Tieff</span> later said to me in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Tieffspeak</span> as I call it "That was a missile!").<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsdsSqWkiI/AAAAAAAAAMA/-s_Gyg687g4/s1600-h/101_3232.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsdsSqWkiI/AAAAAAAAAMA/-s_Gyg687g4/s320/101_3232.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357908828448264738" border="0" /></a>Now think about this for a second. Most corner outfielders are in the majors are built like Dunn, or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Willingham</span> (pictured here) or in the Braves case that night Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Diaz</span> (an adventure himself in left) and Jeff <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Francouer</span>. They are power guys, possess usually a good arm, but are short on speed. In fact the only corner outfielder I thought who remotely had a chance of catching it (but wouldn't have) when he was the Pirates left fielder was Morgan. Also a ball hit to left field is going to get up on an outfielder quicker than in center (at least from my experience of playing the outfield over the years in softball). So not even a left fielder that possesses the range of a center fielder is going to catch a shot like that. I will give the rabid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Nats</span> fan credit. He was the one who made <a href="http://ninetyfeetfromhome.blogspot.com/2009/07/day-2-baseball-trip-pittsburgh-chicago.html">the great Joel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Hanrahan</span> comment that I used in my posting of Monday's game</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsdFLY1gqI/AAAAAAAAAL4/9XSx8yHV6TM/s1600-h/101_3224.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsdFLY1gqI/AAAAAAAAAL4/9XSx8yHV6TM/s320/101_3224.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357908156480848546" border="0" /></a><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Ok</span>, enough of corner outfielder talk. Let's get to something very relevant to today's news. Manny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Acta</span> was fired as manager of the Nationals after yesterday's game. Everyone saw this coming and many of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Nats</span> fans, including the rabid guy in front of me I got into an argument with wanted him fired. If there ever was a game that was used as evidence for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Acta</span> being fired, this was it.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Acta</span> replaced <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Detwiler</span> in the middle of the fourth inning with Tyler <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Clippard</span> (who once had a cup of coffee with the Yankees). <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">Clippard</span> gave up the "missile" to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Escobar</span> but struck out the next two batters to end the inning. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Clippard</span> then retired the Braves in order in the fifth. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Nats</span> tied up the game in the bottom of the fifth as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">Kawakami</span> hit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">Willingham</span> with a pitch, then threw a Christian Guzman grounder back to him into center field. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">Kawakami's</span> night ended as Bobby Cox brought in Brooke Logan. Logan gave up a RBI <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">groundout</span> to Bard before getting out of the inning.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsjZtZw_fI/AAAAAAAAAMI/epZm6n8VWek/s1600-h/101_3261.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsjZtZw_fI/AAAAAAAAAMI/epZm6n8VWek/s320/101_3261.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357915106278702578" border="0" /></a>Now here's where it gets interesting. In the top of the sixth, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">Clippard</span> got the first batter, Martin Prado, out. So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">Clippard</span> has now retired six Braves in a row. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">Acta</span> comes out and relieves him with Sean Burnett! Reason - the old take the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">righty</span> out, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">Clippard</span>, and bring in a lefty, Burnett, to face two lefties. Problem - the first batter Burnett faces is Chipper Jones, who is a switch hitter and a lifetime .312 hitter against lefties. Nice! Jones hits Burnett's first pitch on a line to right center where only a great racing catch by Morgan saves it from being at least a double. Then Brian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">McCann</span> just gets under one and flies out to deep center. So Burnett throws batting practice fodder and barely gets out of the inning while <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">Clippard</span> is somewhere in the clubhouse scratching his head saying "What did I do?"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsjoXd2dAI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/DF3YNPOQl8M/s1600-h/101_3267.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsjoXd2dAI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/DF3YNPOQl8M/s320/101_3267.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357915358088295426" border="0" /></a>Wait, it gets better! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">Acta</span> then pinch hits for Burnett in the bottom of the sixth. So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">Acta</span> uses Burnett for two batters that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">Clippard</span> could have faced instead and pinch hits for Burnett in the sixth. One reliever wasted. But it still gets even better!! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">Acta</span> brings out the well traveled Jesus <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">Colome</span> for the seventh. Now <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">Colome</span> is well traveled because he is the living embodiment of Nuke <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">LaLoosh</span>. Million dollar arm. Five cent head. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">Colome</span> was once a top prospect with the Oakland A's and was touted as their future closer. Problem was, and still is, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">Colome</span> doesn't know exactly where his mid 90's fastball is going. Thus he has a career average of four plus walks per nine innings. Tonight would be no different. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_81">Colome</span> walked two batters, then Brooks Conrad (pictured here), a rookie just called up from the minors, deposited a fat <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_82">Colome</span> fastball over the right field fence. Braves take an 8-5 lead.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlslwjQmMDI/AAAAAAAAAMY/13h9D10wRig/s1600-h/101_3263.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlslwjQmMDI/AAAAAAAAAMY/13h9D10wRig/s320/101_3263.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357917697716138034" border="0" /></a>In the eighth, after the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">Nats</span> cut the lead to 8-6, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_84">Acta</span> replaces <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_85">Colome</span> with another well traveled pitcher, lefty Ron <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_86">Villone</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_87">Villone</span> also shows why he is well traveled by giving up a double, a walk, then after a sacrifice, an intentional walk. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_88">Villone</span> is replaced with even another well traveled reliever, Julian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_89">Tavarez</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_90">Tavarez</span> also immediately shows why he too is well traveled by walking the first batter he faces, Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_91">Diaz</span>. Braves up 9-6. Bobby Cox sends up the left handed hitting Garrett Anderson to pinch hit for Jeff <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_92">Francoeur</span>. Now here's where <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_93">Acta</span> really could have used Burnett, but since he wasted him in the sixth, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_94">Acta</span> decides not to burn a sixth reliever, lefty Joe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_95">Beimel</span>. Anderson hits an absolute bullet to right field, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_96">Willingham</span> was standing right there to make the catch. Since <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_97">Willingham</span> has a gun for an arm, Jones doesn't even try to tag on him as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_98">Willingham</span> fires a one hopper to home. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_99">Tavarez</span> escapes the eighth. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_100">Acta</span> burned through five relievers in the span of two plus innings. That was more than enough evidence for me to see <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_101">Acta</span> be relieved of his duties. Also it was further evidence of my previous statement in the eighth paragraph about the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_102">Nats</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsnZByfVnI/AAAAAAAAAMg/jUNBXEYjDQ4/s1600-h/101_3278.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsnZByfVnI/AAAAAAAAAMg/jUNBXEYjDQ4/s320/101_3278.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357919492617754226" border="0" /></a>Give the Nationals credit though, they didn't go gently in that good good night. After a scoreless top of the ninth for the Braves (as Acta used his sixth reliever, Beimel), the Nationals threatened against Braves co-closer Rafael Soriano. Soriano promptly walked the first two batters he faced, before getting Dunn on a sky high popup to third and striking out Willingham. Christian Guzman though smacked a double to right center, plating two runners and the Nats were down 9-8 with the tying run on second. But Soriano got Josh Bard to ground out to Casey Kotchman and the Braves held on for the 9-8 win. It was our second straight exciting 9-8 game as we had watched the Mets beat the Pirates the day before 9-8 in extra innings. What are the chances of that?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsomeT0R6I/AAAAAAAAAMo/vm0_cd7-USQ/s1600-h/101_3307.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlsomeT0R6I/AAAAAAAAAMo/vm0_cd7-USQ/s320/101_3307.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357920823123658658" border="0" /></a>We stayed around for the fireworks show after the game. Strangely, you had to move to the third base side to see them, so those, like us, who had first base side tickets and remained had to walk to the third base side to see them. We decided (or more to the point, I decided for us) to stand in the aisle instead of getting a seat, so that we could leave ahead of the others that had stayed out of the 33,982 that attended the game. That was by far the largest crowd of any game that we saw during our trip. It's also proof that if the Nats become a winning team, there is more than enough of a fan base in D.C. for them to succeed.<br /><br />After the nice fireworks show, we took the 30 minute walk back to our car and headed home. A long five hours plus drive awaited us, and I didn't get back into my house till about 4:30 am Saturday morning. The trip had ended but the memories will always remain. More on that in my next post.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-7866202767125783832009-07-11T07:46:00.000-07:002009-07-16T16:05:18.948-07:00The Francoeur - Church Trade - A Different Perspective<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlhXJBZWpYI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/BARWxBEfQ-Y/s1600-h/101_3243.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlhXJBZWpYI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/BARWxBEfQ-Y/s320/101_3243.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357127569262421378" border="0" /></a>I have interrupted my day by day journal of last week's baseball trip to discuss the one for one trade the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mets</span> and Braves did yesterday. If you don't know, the Braves sent Jeff <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Francoeur</span> (pictured to the left in the on deck circle) to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mets</span> in exchange for Ryan Church. When I read on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Rotoworld</span> the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Mets</span>-Braves trade last night shortly before the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Mets</span> game, I was kind of stunned by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Rotoworld's</span> assessment of the trade. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Rotoworld</span> noted "Church was seemingly in Jerry Manuel's doghouse, but he'll give the Braves immediate offensive improvement over <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Francoeur</span>. It seems like an unnecessary gamble by Omar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Minaya</span>. Both players are under arbitration control for two more years."<br /><br />Then if that wasn't enough, ESPN's Rob <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Neyer</span>, a terrific writer who I traded e-mails with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">occasionally</span> when he first started out, wrote on his ESPN column "The Braves got a decent hitter and fielder who bats left-handed, and thus can platoon (or semi-platoon) with <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5595">Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Diaz</span></a> in right field. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Mets</span> got ... what, exactly? If you figure it out, drop a line to Jerry Manuel. He's going to need all the help he can get with this one."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlhZtnlclgI/AAAAAAAAAKA/J6NpeOq1xOg/s1600-h/101_3092.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlhZtnlclgI/AAAAAAAAAKA/J6NpeOq1xOg/s320/101_3092.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357130397012235778" border="0" /></a>After reading the two columns, my first immediate reaction was "Do they see a different Ryan Church than I do?" Church, pictured here scoring against the Pirates last week, played two years for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Mets</span>. The numbers are simply not that good. In 2008, in 319 at bats, he had 12 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">home runs</span>, 49 RBIs, a .276 batting average and a OPS of .785. This year in 255 at bats, Church was hitting .280 with 2 home runs, 22 RBIs and a OPS of .707. His split against <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">lefthanders</span> is not impressive at all. In 339 career at bats against <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">lefthanders</span>, Church was hitting .245 with 7 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">HRs</span>, 54 RBIs and an OPS of .683. His numbers against <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">lefthanders</span> so far this season were very weak - in 48 at bats, a .167 batting average, no <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">home runs</span>, 4 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .188. At <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Citi</span> Field, Church was plain awful this year hitting .216 with 1 HR, 10 RBIs and a OPS of .576.<br /><br />Granted Church's career OPS against <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">righthanders</span> is .822 which is solid, but not spectacular. However, two more things of note. He has only had one season so far in his career where he has had over 400 at bats, which was in 2007. This is due in large part to Church having spent the better part of his two years with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Mets</span> on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">DL</span> injured due to concussion related syndrome last year and a pulled hamstring this year. Also, Church turns 31 in October. So to expect Church to improve at a point where he is at his peak age is expecting a lot (in other words, most likely he will not improve).<br /><br />For those to say that Church is an improvement over <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Francoeur</span>, the numbers surely don't show it. And for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Neyer</span> to say potentially that Church can "semi-platoon" with Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Diaz</span>, well there's something <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Neyer</span> has left out. When I was at the Braves-Nationals game in D.C. last Friday, the Nationals had <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">lefthander</span> Ross <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Detwiler</span> pitching. Both <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Francoeur</span> and Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Diaz</span> were in the starting lineup. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Francoeur</span> was in his normal <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">right field</span> position and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Diaz</span> was playing <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">left field</span>. That's because <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Diaz</span> ALREADY platoons with the left hand hitting Garrett Anderson. Okay, who is going to platoon with Church? Greg Norton? Or is Anderson now going to play <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">full time</span>? The latter may be the case since Anderson against lefthanders is hitting .316 in 59 at bats but with no <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">home runs</span> and an OPS of .725. But Anderson is 37 years old and previously spent a lot of time at DH the past two years with the Angels (he was a DH for 59 of the 141 games he played last season). So playing Anderson everyday might not be so wise. And by the way, the Braves currently don't have a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">right hand</span> hitting outfielder outside of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Diaz</span> and Greg Norton, who is also not a natural outfielder by trade (and rarely plays to boot). Eek!<br /><br />Which gets to my next point. Playing someone like Church, a definite platoon <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">left handed</span> hitter requires that you have another <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">right hand</span> hitting player to platoon with, often a lesser hitter and often a lesser fielder. With the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Mets</span>, you had a cast of characters from Fernando <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Tatis</span> (an .OPS of 700 and has hit into eleven double plays in 192 at bats) to Nick Evans (an OPS of 723 in 46 at bats this year and an OPS of 706 in 119 at bats last season). Neither player is a natural outfielder. Just to note this season, when Church sat, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Tatis</span> or Evans would play left field and Gary Sheffield would play right field and Sheffield of course was mostly a DH the last few seasons in Detroit. So the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Mets</span> outfield got much weaker when facing a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">lefthander</span>. And as many of you know, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Mets</span> don't need to get any weaker defensively.<br /><br />So, yes, Jeff <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Francoeur </span>has struggled mightily the past year and a half. Yes, in his two best seasons his OPS was .742 and .782. He is a better hitter against lefties (career .802 OPS vs. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">LH</span> as opposed to .704 vs RH). But he plays everyday. You don't need a lesser player, who in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Mets</span> case, wasn't a good outfielder, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">platooning</span> with him. And defense is certainly not a question with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Francoeur</span>. Finally, he is 25 years old. I can't stress that enough. He is at least five years younger than Church and is an everyday player. Yes, he could definitely use some tutelage from Howard Johnson to get his numbers back to his 2007 season. But there is room and time for improvement. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Francoeur</span> is coming into his peak years. Church is already there and shown he is not up to the task.<br /><br />So for those to look at first glance at the numbers and say Church is the better player than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Francoeur</span>, you really need to take a closer look. It's not just what Church gives you, it's what he doesn't give you. Is Francoeur a gamble? Absolutely. He may continue to hit in his current 1 1/2 year slump but there is hope that he will return to form. Church is a platoon player and will be for the rest of his career. And perhaps that's why the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">Mets</span> took the gamble and traded for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Francoeur</span>. The current Jeff <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Francoeur</span> makes the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Mets</span> simply better because he makes sure one lesser player isn't playing one out of every three days. And believe it or not, that makes a big difference. And again, there's always the chance that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">the 25 year old Francoeur</span> will return to form or perhaps be better. That's better than the status <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">quo</span> and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">Mets</span> status <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">quo</span> isn't very good right now.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-21052651497365340712009-07-09T02:23:00.000-07:002009-07-10T07:21:28.743-07:00Day 5 Baseball Trip - Mets vs. Pirates<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlW3ifh_GBI/AAAAAAAAAH8/fwJkaYwv4_g/s1600-h/101_3036.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlW3ifh_GBI/AAAAAAAAAH8/fwJkaYwv4_g/s320/101_3036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356389135034554386" border="0" /></a>So Thursday morning, we left Cambridge, Ohio for Pittsburgh for the Mets vs. the Pirates. I have a long history with Pittsburgh. Most of my family comes from Etna and Glenshaw, towns that are suburbs of Pittsburgh. My family moved from Western Pennsylvania to Hicksville, New York in the mid 60's shortly before I was born. My mom, my older brother and my older sister were all born in Western Pennsylvania. My Aunt Syl, my Uncle Elmer and my cousin Ron and his family all are in Glenshaw.<br /><br />I remember the house my grandparents lived in Etna. I remember my grandfather as a man of few words, who loved his Iron City beer and his Pirates. My grandmother was a great cook and we spent several summers and Thanksgivings at their house. Often time seemed endless there. My Uncle Bobby used to work for the post office and on our last visit to the house (or I think my last visit), we brought our family dog, Gemgem, a cockerpoo. My dog never liked any males outside of my brother and me and that dog hated Uncle Bobby. Of course, Uncle Bobby egged on our dog by calling it a "sissy dog". It was good comedy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXIns6tX5I/AAAAAAAAAIM/pFIc84RcDZ8/s1600-h/101_0701.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXIns6tX5I/AAAAAAAAAIM/pFIc84RcDZ8/s320/101_0701.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356407916224929682" border="0" /></a>Sadly, my Uncle Bobby died in his sleep one morning and my grandmother and my mom were crushed. It sort of was the beginning of the end in that household in Etna. My grandmother would die only a few years later of cancer. She died right as my first semester of college started. I wanted to go to the funeral but my mom didn't want me to fall behind with school work. I ended up being the first person in my family to go to college full time over four years and at the time, she didn't want to jeopardize that. To this day, I always regret not going to my grandmother's funeral. My grandfather would die a short time later. He was lost without my grandmother. Over a period of four years, my grandparents house in Etna was vacant.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXHXaNxZCI/AAAAAAAAAIE/K95y6I1C2vo/s1600-h/101_0450.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXHXaNxZCI/AAAAAAAAAIE/K95y6I1C2vo/s320/101_0450.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356406536815076386" border="0" /></a>Over the years, my aunt and uncle (pictured above with my mom who is on the left) would travel from Pittsburgh to see us on Long Island, most recently a few years ago. Until last summer, the last time I was in Pittsburgh was for my cousin Ron's wedding. Then last summer, as part of a trip I planned out that basically went over Pennsylvania, we took my mom with us to Pittsburgh to see Syl and Elmer. During that time, I got tickets for a Pirates game. My son Matthew, Uncle Elmer and I went to the Astros-Pirates game. To the left is a picture of Uncle Elmer holding Matthew in front of the Honus Wagner statute in front of PNC. We had a really good time for five innings until Matt decided he missed mommy and wanted to go back to Uncle Elmer's house where they were waiting for us. But not before he had that soft pretzel he so wanted.<br /><br />So now I was back one year later to see the Pirates take on the Mets. It certainly wasn't the first time I saw the Pirates take on the Mets live. I told you I had a long history with Pittsburgh. Well that's because also my first live baseball game ever was in <a href="http://ultimatemets.com/gamedetail.php?gameno=1940">September 21, 1973</a> on a Friday night when the Mets beat the Pirates at Shea Stadium 10-2 to take over first place in the NL East from the Pirates. Somehow my dad got great field level seats and my brother, the ten year older Yankee fan, my dad, the lifelong Pirate fan and me got to watch Tom Seaver and the amazing Mets dominate the Pirate Lumber Company (as they were known as at the time). I got hooked on the Mets that night and 36 years later here I am, back at a Mets- Pirates game.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXLLaV_yAI/AAAAAAAAAIU/RVTIP-eSf8c/s1600-h/101_3032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXLLaV_yAI/AAAAAAAAAIU/RVTIP-eSf8c/s320/101_3032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356410728737654786" border="0" /></a>The game was delayed due to a rain delay. During the delay, the Pirates, being old school, showed the famous Abbott and Costello "Who's on First?" routine, which to this day still makes people laugh (and it did during the rain delay). As we hung out during the rain delay, it was apparent a lot of Mets fans made the eight hour trip to Pittsburgh, despite the Mets well documented struggles. I think that's part of the charm of the Mets. They're the franchise that has to share New York with the team that's won the most championships in sports, the Yankees. The Yankees were the established team, while the Mets were the expansion franchise the league felt it owed New York after the Dodgers and the Giants both left for California a few years prior. Many of those Dodgers and Giants fans, like my father in law, became Mets fans. One such fan, Fred Wilpon, later became the owner of the Mets.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXYZs776wI/AAAAAAAAAIk/d8iwzpx9weM/s1600-h/101_3037.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXYZs776wI/AAAAAAAAAIk/d8iwzpx9weM/s320/101_3037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356425267897953026" border="0" /></a>The Mets started with the 62 Mets, the worst team in the history of baseball and perhaps one of the most loved. Then seven years later, you had the 69 Mets, the team with little hitting but a whole ton of pitching, defense and heart that knocked off the mighty Orioles. Then there was the 73 Mets, the team I grew up on. Won their division with a 82-80 record, knocked off the Big Red Machine in the NLCS and nearly knocked off the A's dynasty in the World Series. Of course, everyone knows about the 86 Mets. Over the 47 years of the franchise, there has been two World Championships, two NL pennants, seven years of playoffs and a whole lot of bad, often slapstick baseball, bad trades and draft picks, and a whole lot of heartbreak. The last part is especially true in that the last two years where the Mets had a significant lead in the NL East, only to implode the last few weeks of the season.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXZXGFU1UI/AAAAAAAAAIs/Ni4aHDOKuh4/s1600-h/101_3038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXZXGFU1UI/AAAAAAAAAIs/Ni4aHDOKuh4/s320/101_3038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356426322620241218" border="0" /></a>Our seats were along the first base line, field level about 15 rows up. as you can tell from the David Wright picture here and the previous picture as well. $28 a piece through the Pirates online ticket site. Incredible! So finally they got the game started after the rain delay. Funny thing was that they didn't play long, another rain shower hit and again another rain delay. To torture the Mets fans, the Pirates played a September 1992 Mets vs. Pirates game. The Pirates had already clinched the National League East and the Mets were past their elite team of the mid to late 80's form and were now the team of Eric Hillman, Jeff McKnight, and Daryl Boston. So naturally, the Pirates smoked the Mets early on in this replayed game. The Mets wouldn't start recovering from this until they traded for Mike Piazza.<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXcJd56MTI/AAAAAAAAAI8/05yyxZvTd4A/s1600-h/101_3056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXcJd56MTI/AAAAAAAAAI8/05yyxZvTd4A/s320/101_3056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356429387031523634" border="0" /></a>Due to injuries to Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and J.J. Putz, to name a few, the 2009 Mets at the moment look a lot like the 1992 Mets. The Mets had just came off getting swept by the Yankees, then lost two of three to the Milwaukee Brewers. They only won the last game of the Brewers series because Mike Pelfrey and the bullpen combined on a 1-0 shutout. They couldn't hit, couldn't field, and the pitching was spotty at best. The rain delay subsided but the Pirates came out and played liked the 1992 Pirates.<br /><br />The 2009 Pirates jumped on the Mets early scoring five runs in two plus innings. This came as no surprise to Mets fans as it was due in large part to horrible pitching by the Mets starter, Tim Redding. Redding soon after this game was sent to the bullpen (thank God!). By the way, there are very few teams who have a more mediocre staff after their ace then the Mets. It's Johan Santana and four days of pray for rain! Considering the payroll the Mets have, this is a major embarrassment. And if that wasn't enough, having your own Sportscenter Top Ten list of mishaps is just icing on a very messy cake.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXc4spNA1I/AAAAAAAAAJE/ArDaLM0mwgI/s1600-h/101_3092.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXc4spNA1I/AAAAAAAAAJE/ArDaLM0mwgI/s320/101_3092.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356430198441837394" border="0" /></a>So with the Mets facing a 5-0 deficit in the fourth with the Pirates 2008 ace Paul Maholm on the mound, things looked bleak for the Flushing Faithful. Then a funny thing happened at PNC Park. The Mets found an offense. They rallied to score eight runs over the next three innings; two in the fourth, four in the fifth, and two on the sixth. The last two came on a rocket shot of a home run to right center by Fernando Tatis who for one day found his 2008 opposite field hitting stroke and not the pulled ground ball double play machine he has been this year (he leads the Mets by hitting into eleven double plays). The Mets would have fifteen hits on the day, which for them is a week's worth of hits. Tatis and Ryan Church would each have three hits for the Mets.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slc40qjXR0I/AAAAAAAAAJc/i5LSgzhhWKs/s1600-h/101_3112.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slc40qjXR0I/AAAAAAAAAJc/i5LSgzhhWKs/s320/101_3112.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356812759207462722" border="0" /></a>But the Pirates would rally. First in the seventh, the left hand hitting rookie Garrett Jones, who had a monster day at the plate, had a terrific at bat vs. Mets lefthander Pedro Feliciano. He fouled off several two strike nasty sliders from Feliciano, then worked the count to 3-2 before depositing a Feliciano fastball over the right center field fence to cut the Mets lead to 8-6 (the picture to the left is of Jones rounding the bases after the home run). Jones had three hits on the day and strangely was only a single away from the cycle. The Pirates then had second and third with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but Sean Green struck out Jack Wilson and the Mets escaped to the ninth still up two. The Mets were only three outs away from getting back to .500.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slc6RSIy5FI/AAAAAAAAAJk/yj8IISxJQ10/s1600-h/101_3117.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/Slc6RSIy5FI/AAAAAAAAAJk/yj8IISxJQ10/s320/101_3117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356814350381409362" border="0" /></a>So after a scoreless top of the ninth, the Pirates came up against NL All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez in the bottom of the ninth, Rodriguez had only blown two save opportunities going into the game (and one of those was the now infamous Mets-Yankees game with Luis Castillo dropping the popup for the sure third out of the game). So, down two runs, things looked bleak for the Pirates. But Freddy Sanchez.hit a grounder in the hole and beat the throw by the weak armed Alex Cora at first. Adam LaRoche came up as the tying run. Rodriguez fell behind 2-0, then came in with a fastball. As fast it came in, it went faster going out. LaRoche sent the ball deep over the right center field fence and the game was tied at eight.<br /><br />Then Rodriguez decided to make things even more interesting. In his bid for a cycle, Garrett Jones hit a rocket grounder to Luis Castillo, who snagged it and threw to first for one out. Andy LaRoche had the only weak at bat of the inning and popped out. Then Robinson Diaz singled and Ramon Vasquez followed with a single to put runners on first and third. Rodriguez worked the count to 3-2 on pinch hitter Brandon Moss. Then Moss hit a rocket line drive to the right side, only to see it caught by Luis Castillo. The game went to the tenth tied at eight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SldOT5YEDkI/AAAAAAAAAJw/EudcX43YOoU/s1600-h/101_3121.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SldOT5YEDkI/AAAAAAAAAJw/EudcX43YOoU/s320/101_3121.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356836385506725442" border="0" /></a>In the bottom of the eighth, Matt Capps got the first two outs. Then Capps accidentally drilled Fernando Tatis in the back with a 94 mph fastball. Tatis crumpled to his knees. It was his second hit by pitch of the game. After a visit from the trainer and manager Jerry Manuel, Tatis limped to first base. Tatis would get his revenge by stealing second base from Capps. Then Ryan Church smacked a single to centerfield. Talented Pirates centerfielder Andrew McCutchen had an excellent chance to throw out Tatis at home, but he airmailed the throw way over home plate and the Mets went up 9-8. Rodriguez then had a 1-2-3 tenth inning to pick up the win, despite blowing the save. The Mets left with a wild 9-8 victory.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXOBI717wI/AAAAAAAAAIc/OaPD6Glk8Dk/s1600-h/101_2754.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlXOBI717wI/AAAAAAAAAIc/OaPD6Glk8Dk/s320/101_2754.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356413850800746242" border="0" /></a>It was time to leave Pittsburgh and head to Greencastle Pennsylvania for our overnight stay at another Comfort Inn before going to Washington D.C tomorrow. We didn't have time in either of our trips to Pittsburgh to see my Uncle Elmer and Aunt Syl. I hope to make up for that soon. My little sister had visited them in September of last year and traveled to the house that my grandparents had lived in. She told me now that it was basically a crack den. When I saw the familiar exit on the highway for Etna on Thursday, I had no interest in going. I made my peace with my old memories of my grandparents by visiting their gravesite last July.<br /><br />Just driving away from the ballpark and Tieff noting to me how high we were on the highway. I looked down below to see the suburbs of Pittsburgh, a view I have seen many times. Then I remembered all the visits, the endless Thanksgiving day where time stood still. The summers hanging out on what seem to be my grandparents' huge porch (actually it was huge). Remembering the time my little sister ran off and got lost in the woods by the creek we used to hang out in. The times watching the Pirates games on KDKA with my grandfather on his old TV as Bob Prince was announcing the action. The trips to Dairy Queen, still my favorite place to go for ice cream. And finally Uncle Bobby coming back from work making fun of my dog. "Sissy Dog!"<br /><br />I didn't need to see a broken down house to remind me of all that. Just seeing the familiar hills, the valley and the city skyline brought that all back. This will always be my second home.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-76331690210557205272009-07-07T03:39:00.000-07:002009-07-09T02:09:21.678-07:00Day 4 Baseball Trip - Arizona vs. Cincinnati<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlMqdROfmCI/AAAAAAAAAGI/ps2rECPe17A/s1600-h/101_2979.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlMqdROfmCI/AAAAAAAAAGI/ps2rECPe17A/s320/101_2979.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355671064202418210" border="0" /></a>Day four of the baseball trip was a jaunt to Cincinnati to see the Reds take on the Arizona <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Diamondbacks</span>. This was the longest leg of our trip. Cleveland is basically on the shores of Lake Erie, in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">northeastern</span> Ohio, while Cincinnati was western Ohio, basically on the border of Kentucky. We had split the trip up by going from Cleveland to Columbus late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. We got into our hotel about 2:00 am, which was the second time we had done that (having done that from Baltimore to Pittsburgh).<br /><br />Our late arrival resulted in us waking up late Wednesday morning. We woke up so late that we missed the continental breakfast at our third consecutive Comfort Inn (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Tieff</span> became a Comfort Inn member and got enough points for an eventual free night..but not on this trip). So we again went to a Waffle House (which there seems to be one of every mile - not a bad thing mind you). Then it was off to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Cincinnati</span> and the Great American Ballpark.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlMzHHlXj5I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/4gV_VBdAxxM/s1600-h/101_2879.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlMzHHlXj5I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/4gV_VBdAxxM/s320/101_2879.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355680579261534098" border="0" /></a>Now what was clearly evident on our trip was that the weather temperature was below normal for this time of year with lots of rain, similar to New York weather. In fact, Tuesday night in Cleveland was downright cold. The forecast was the same for Wednesday night in Cincinnati, as the temperature was to dip into the 50's. Thus, we decided to stop at an outlet mall in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Jeffersonville</span>, Ohio to get sweatshirts (since neither of us packed any long sleeve shirts). But beforehand, we tailgated again with some Mike's Lemonades (hopefully we are starting a trend). After picking up a sweatshirt and an Indians hat for my oldest son Matthew, we headed off to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Cincinnati</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM1qTTvo4I/AAAAAAAAAGY/jYAhNybQn5Y/s1600-h/101_2889.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM1qTTvo4I/AAAAAAAAAGY/jYAhNybQn5Y/s320/101_2889.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355683382727517058" border="0" /></a>As we were traveling to Cincinnati, I looked at our road map that we brought. We used it only as a guide because <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Tieff's</span> Dodge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Durango</span> has a built in navigation system. But as I looked at the map I realized for the first time perhaps how close <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Cincinnati</span> was to Kentucky. I was about to find out how close. When we got to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Cincinnati</span> somewhat early for the game, we decided to go to the <a href="http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/crc/pages/-5925-/"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Bicentennial</span> Commons Park at Sawyer Point</a>, which is right on the Ohio River. For $5 we were able to park there for the baseball game and it's a ten minute walk to Great American Ballpark. It's a very nice park with a great view of the river and a nearby town across the river. They were also setting up for a free party in the park with live music, food and yes, tasty beverages.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM2_zJM4ZI/AAAAAAAAAGg/R0CQV_mpmpA/s1600-h/101_2901.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM2_zJM4ZI/AAAAAAAAAGg/R0CQV_mpmpA/s320/101_2901.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355684851562111378" border="0" /></a>We noticed that there was a bridge where you could walk across to an area called Newport and noticed an aquarium right there. Well that was Newport, Kentucky. That's how close we were to Kentucky, a bridge walk away. So wanting to be able to say we were in Kentucky on the trip, we walked across the bridge to Kentucky. Little did we know that we were about to find a jewel of an attraction in the Newport Aquarium.<br /><br />Someone in Kentucky smartly realized that with Cincinnati and the Great American Ballpark only a short bridge walk away, perhaps if we built an aquarium with a nice mall area with a food court and say a Barnes and Noble, lots of people who traveled into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Cinci</span> for the baseball game might go there for an afternoon. Well, if you build it, they will come. As you can see from the picture above, the Newport mall is lined with a central area and shops and they have converted an old mill into a large mall area including a large Barnes and Noble.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM3k1fKvwI/AAAAAAAAAGo/25Y0YxS2w1g/s1600-h/101_2941.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM3k1fKvwI/AAAAAAAAAGo/25Y0YxS2w1g/s320/101_2941.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355685487846276866" border="0" /></a>The centerpiece is a one million gallon aquarium, the <a href="http://www.newportaquarium.com/">Newport Aquarium</a>. The tour guide said you would need an hour and a half to tour it, but if you speed walk it like we did, you can get it done in 50 minutes. It's a really nice aquarium and it has sharks, penguins, a really nice jellyfish exhibit and tropical fish exhibits. I also got to see some of the most unusual turtles and fish you will ever see in an aquarium. Oh and don't forget the gator exhibit! Lots of Louisiana gators waiting to make your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">acquaintance</span>. The aquarium is open until 7:00 PM during the week. Click on the link in the first sentence in this paragraph for coupons, tours, information etc. It's truly worth the trip.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM5tV8FWMI/AAAAAAAAAGw/KIrDxx9gpoU/s1600-h/101_2980.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM5tV8FWMI/AAAAAAAAAGw/KIrDxx9gpoU/s320/101_2980.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355687833019701442" border="0" /></a>So after a fun time at the aquarium, it was off the Great American Ballpark for the Reds vs. the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Diamondbacks</span>. The Great American Ballpark was opened in 2003 and is right next to the U.S. Bank Arena. It seats about 42, 000, so its about the size of Progressive Field. It's a very charming ballpark with a nice open area concourse, a picnic area in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">right field</span>, some impressive murals of Reds teams of the past, a playground for kids and some nice views of the Ohio river.<br /><br />Now what it also has is a $1 concession area, which is basically four foods for $1 - kids hot dogs, kids peanuts, kids popcorn and kids soda. Well guess what? A lot of adults are kids at heart and we don't pass up on $1 concessions at a major league ballpark. So there was a decent line when we got there, but it moved fast (and got larger after us). So we each had two hot dogs, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Tieff</span> had peanuts, I had popcorn and a soda each. Total cost - eight dollars! YES! We did have some more expensive ice cream later, but hey it was worth it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM7TUMWENI/AAAAAAAAAG4/AgYrvD92UtI/s1600-h/101_2988.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlM7TUMWENI/AAAAAAAAAG4/AgYrvD92UtI/s320/101_2988.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355689584897691858" border="0" /></a>As for the game itself, as you can see, we had seats along the third base line. Again, a good view of the action. The Cincinnati Reds are in the tightly packed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">NL</span> Central, and are as of this moment, 40-41, 3.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the Central. In fact five teams are within 3.5 games of the first place Brewers (only the fading Pirates are farther out).<br /><br />The Reds were starting ace Johnny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Cueto</span> on the mound against Jon Garland, who I have in one of my fantasy leagues. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Cueto</span> struggled with his control early on, walking a batter and getting behind in the count on a few others in the first inning. It almost burned him when Mark Reynolds hit what looked like was going to be a home run down the left field line, but it hooked foul. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Cueto</span> made it out of the first inning unscathed. Garland would retire the Reds in order in the first and the stage was set for the entire game.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRfFQmvIDI/AAAAAAAAAHA/3atXtK0DLrI/s1600-h/101_2997.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRfFQmvIDI/AAAAAAAAAHA/3atXtK0DLrI/s320/101_2997.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356010400811786290" border="0" /></a>Again <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Cueto</span> struggled with his control in the second inning, walking three batters. Fortunately, Ramon Hernandez threw out Gerardo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Parra</span> attempting to steal second base early on in the inning. A team with a better lineup would have taken advantage of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Cueto's</span> wildness (and in his next start, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Phillies</span> did, scoring nine runs off <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Cueto</span> in the first without making an out en route to a 22-1 win). However, the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Diamondbacks</span> lineup is very weak at the bottom of the order. So again <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Cueto</span> made it out of the inning unscathed. It was really the last time the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Diamondbacks</span> would threaten during the game.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRiMsFWBvI/AAAAAAAAAHI/MSFOBKN9ed8/s1600-h/101_3021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRiMsFWBvI/AAAAAAAAAHI/MSFOBKN9ed8/s320/101_3021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356013826981889778" border="0" /></a>The Reds had a rally in the third inning as third baseman Danny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Richar</span> singled and Curtis Dickerson followed later with a double to right field. But a perfect relay gunned <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Richar</span> down at home plate and the game remained scoreless. By this time, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Cueto</span> was dealing. He retired the last 12 batters he would face in the game, five by strikeout as he lowered his ERA to 2. 62. Had he not thrown so many pitches in the first two innings, he might have worked well into the eighth.<br /><br />During this time, the Reds managed to scratch out a run. In the bottom of the sixth, Dickerson singled and was moved on a hit run by Jerry <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Hairston</span>. Then the Reds best hitter, Joey <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Votto</span>, hit a single to left, scoring the speedy Dickerson. The Reds led 1-0 and the lead would stand up for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Cueto</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRj_Rf0XGI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/n6cwoORPLAY/s1600-h/101_3024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRj_Rf0XGI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/n6cwoORPLAY/s320/101_3024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356015795530128482" border="0" /></a>But not without a little excitement in the seventh. If you are an avid baseball fan, one of the things you learn over time is that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">left handed</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">relief</span> pitchers who throw reasonably hard and get the ball over the plate for the most part will always have a job in the majors. Enter one Arthur Rhodes. Rhodes has pitched in the majors for 17 years. He still throws in the mid 90's and features a fastball and slider. However, Rhodes has been considered a journeyman for quite some time, as he is now pitching for his seventh team (that includes two stints with Seattle). Often Rhodes can look <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">unhittable</span> as he came into the game with a 1.69 ERA.<br /><br />However, just as often, Rhodes can be downright horrible and prone to wildness, as his career 4 walks per nine innings average can attest to. Thus, Rhodes' career ERA of 4.17 is a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">testament</span> of his inability to be consistent. But yet, Rhodes lifetime of 1055 strikeouts in 1078 innings shows that he can get batters out. And like I said, lefties who throw hard and can strike people out will always have teams as suitors (see Jesse <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Orosco</span> for further proof). Thus why Arthur Rhodes is on the Reds.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRmKRn_fEI/AAAAAAAAAHY/0Hpwu-bowYg/s1600-h/101_3027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRmKRn_fEI/AAAAAAAAAHY/0Hpwu-bowYg/s320/101_3027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356018183566228546" border="0" /></a>Well, Rhodes was on the wild side this night. After a bunt single by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Parra</span> to lead off the seventh inning, Rhodes threw a wild pitch (that wasn't even close) and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Parra</span> took second. Then Rhodes then walked outfielder Chris Young, which is a mean feat in itself. Young came into the game hitting .197 with now 70 strikeouts in only 242 at bats. Miguel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Montero</span> then sacrificed, putting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Parra</span> to third and Young to second. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">DBacks</span> had an excellent chance to score with one out. Arizona sent up the feeble Ryan Roberts to pinch hit for Chad Tracy and Roberts promptly struck out. Then Rhodes walked Tony Clark, who was pinch hitting for Garland. Rhodes got to 3-2 on Felipe Lopez before Lopez flied to right. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Diamondbacks</span> failed to score and the Reds fans who all probably lost a year on their lives during the inning could now breathe easier. David Weathers pitched a scoreless eighth and Francisco <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Cordero</span> a scoreless ninth. Reds win 1-0.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRpl0rAF-I/AAAAAAAAAHg/h5e1HaeIFKc/s1600-h/101_3025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlRpl0rAF-I/AAAAAAAAAHg/h5e1HaeIFKc/s320/101_3025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356021955365443554" border="0" /></a>It was a shame that more people weren't out at the game that night, even if it was a little cool. It's a really nice stadium with some nice touches like the restaurant pictured here that overlooks <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">centerfield</span>. It looks like a giant riverboat (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Tieff</span> and I wish it had a wheel though to make it complete). The Reds Hall of Fame is right here at the ballpark and there are some great murals inside the ballpark as well. The standings boards, which you will see in the next paragraph are really cool too. However, only 20, 494 were at the game, which was only a slight improvement in over the first two games of the trip in attendance.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlR3C-QDxdI/AAAAAAAAAHo/7Y-hWUynuL8/s1600-h/101_2993.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlR3C-QDxdI/AAAAAAAAAHo/7Y-hWUynuL8/s320/101_2993.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356036749804160466" border="0" /></a>At first, I had a hard time <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">understanding</span> that the stadium was not even half full. We were talking about the Reds, a storied franchise that has won several World Series, mostly recently in 1990. They have won many division titles and National League Pennants over the years. They were only a few games out of first with a good young team featuring <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Votto</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Cueto</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Dickerosn</span>, Edison <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Volquez</span>, Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips. The tickets for field level seats along the first base line were very reasonable by New York standards at $34.00 a piece, so lesser seats are even more reasonably priced. You had a $1 food court, you had the wonderful Newport Aquarium literally across the river and a wonderful <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Bicentennial</span> Commons Area that you could have a picnic at (and cheap parking for $5). Why not take the family out midweek?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlR4biwQW4I/AAAAAAAAAHw/IXFEKjAs9n4/s1600-h/101_2986.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlR4biwQW4I/AAAAAAAAAHw/IXFEKjAs9n4/s320/101_2986.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356038271431367554" border="0" /></a>Well part of the reason was that the Reds have not been competitive since 2000 when they finished second in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">NL</span> Central at 85-77 and have not made the playoffs since 1995. But the more important reason was apparent earlier in the day on our trip to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Cincinnati</span>. Along the interstate, we drove by a large, closed GM plant. It was a stark reminder of how hard the economy has hit the Ohio area. What seems reasonably priced to me, isn't going to be reasonably priced to someone who has lost their job due to a plant closing. Thus many families are shut out right now of even a night out at a wonderful ballpark such as the Great American Ballpark.<br /><br />So the game ended and as Hawk <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Harrelson</span> might say "The good guys won!" We exited out of the ballpark via the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">centerfield</span> stands and walked back to the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Bicentennial</span> Commons along the river. We hung out in the parking lot talking about the game and the area until the parking lot emptied out. Then <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Tieff</span> and I drove on to Cambridge, Ohio in the middle of the night to another Comfort Inn as our halfway point overnight stay. It was back to Pittsburgh for day five of our baseball trip for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Mets</span> vs. the Pirates.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-85682776377516518282009-07-05T18:40:00.000-07:002009-07-09T02:09:21.690-07:00Day 3 - Baseball Trip - Cleveland vs. Chicago White Sox<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFXg45y_yI/AAAAAAAAAEg/QszHYlU_7BM/s1600-h/101_2814.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFXg45y_yI/AAAAAAAAAEg/QszHYlU_7BM/s320/101_2814.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355157654462463778" border="0" /></a>Day three started the same as day two, in a Comfort Inn in Pittsburgh. This one was not as nice as the first one, sans one difference; the wireless network worked much better here. The question of the day was "What to do before the Indians game". We knew we had the Indians-White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sox</span> game at Progressive Field (I still like to call it Jacobs Field, it's previous name, named after the owner Dick Jacobs, who got the new ballpark project done). Not really sold on things to do in Cleveland (sorry guys) and since we had our golf clubs, we went to the front desk of the hotel to see if they recommended anything. Sure enough, they had a pamphlet for the <a href="http://www.birdsfoot.com/index.php"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Birdsfoot</span> Golf Club</a>. The forecast called for inclement weather, so after thinking about it for a minute or two, we decided "Why Not?!" and left the hotel in search of golf.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFe9RmgmhI/AAAAAAAAAEo/8ewa5JsIpJY/s1600-h/0630091124.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 235px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFe9RmgmhI/AAAAAAAAAEo/8ewa5JsIpJY/s320/0630091124.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355165838710184466" border="0" /></a>So we headed to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Freeport</span>, PA, a town located inside what's called the Buffalo Creek Valley, which is north of Pittsburgh. The golf course is basically nestled in the woods of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Freeport</span>, PA in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">aforementioned</span> Buffalo Creek Valley. In fact along the very tree lined Furnace Run Road, we ran into something that was right out of "Field of Dreams". More on that in a little bit. So after we cleared the woods we ended up at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Birdsfoot</span>. It's a very open course, well certainly at least the front nine. There was a large tent by the parking lot and good number of golf carts awaited us with a sign "Help Yourself to a Cart and Drive up to the Clubhouse" (or something to that effect).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFgUuEu6eI/AAAAAAAAAEw/EPFmOqLSvIY/s1600-h/0630091305.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 238px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFgUuEu6eI/AAAAAAAAAEw/EPFmOqLSvIY/s320/0630091305.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355167341001763298" border="0" /></a>It's a really nice golf course and plays very well. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">OK</span>, it plays very well for bad golfers like me. Somehow though, this course is sneaky. The rough eats up golf balls, or at least it ate up <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Tieff's</span> and mine if we weren't on the fairway (which is often the case for "Five Iron" Gary). There is one really rough hole that I actually didn't play. That's number nine, which is shown to the left here. Notice the rough right after the women's tee box. Since I tend to be a line drive hitter (good for my years of playing softball, bad for golf), I was going to lose several in the rough. So I let <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Tieff</span> play this hole and I headed for the safety of my cart.<br /><br />That's because, when we got to the ninth hole, the skies darkened as you can tell from the picture. It started thundering and lightning strikes were nearby. Soon as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Tieff</span> finished putting, it started pouring. We made it to the clubhouse and much needed shelter. While in the clubhouse restaurant (which was really a small bar with food), we had a decision to make. We could just take the nine holes and head to Cleveland or wait it out and play the back nine. Just then, the clubhouse manager we had become friendly with, Dennis, a retired steel mill worker, talked about his homemade Pepperoni <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">hoagies</span>. He buys fresh sliced pepperoni, mixes it in a pot with onions and peppers and serves it on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">hoagie</span> bread. Let me tell you, it was perhaps the BEST <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">hoagie</span> I have ever had. Washed it down with a nice 24 ounce Brooklyn Lager. Damn that was really good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFjg58Tw0I/AAAAAAAAAE4/7z3ldsNp324/s1600-h/0630091252.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFjg58Tw0I/AAAAAAAAAE4/7z3ldsNp324/s320/0630091252.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355170848880968514" border="0" /></a>I have learned over the forty three years that God has graciously granted to me in my life that you will find very good food in the strangest of places. When my wife and I were on our honeymoon in 1996 in Bar Harbor Maine, the best pizza I ever had (until I had Frank Pepe's Brick Oven Pizza in Connecticut this past year) was a seafood pizza in a diner called the Blue Berry on Route 1 in Bar Harbor. Now the best <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">hoagie</span> I ever had was in a golf course in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Freeport</span>, PA. By the way, Dennis only does this on Tuesdays and rotates between homemade meatball <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">hoagies</span> and Pepperoni <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">hoagies</span>.<br /><br />The storm passed and we played the last nine holes. Figures my best golf came after having a beer (seems to relax me on my tee shots). We played our last nine holes with a guy named Chris, a very friendly guy who originally was from California but now lives in Pittsburgh and is a huge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Steelers</span> fan. I called him "Big Chris" after the mechanic of the same name from my oldest son Matthew's show that he watches called "<a href="http://www.roarytheracingcar.com/us/index.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Roary</span> the Racing Car</a>". Somehow that came to mind when he introduced himself, and I told him that's what I was calling him. Yeah, I am a dork. Thankfully Chris didn't mind that and he fit right in with us as we talked about each other's sports trips.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFku-YjDwI/AAAAAAAAAFA/Iaz9QtE8EKc/s1600-h/101_2811.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFku-YjDwI/AAAAAAAAAFA/Iaz9QtE8EKc/s320/101_2811.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355172190102949634" border="0" /></a>So, now back to my Field of Dreams reference. When we came up on the golf course, as we were driving we noticed that we past this little league ball field built right into the middle of the woods. We thought it was so cool, that we decided to stop on the way out and take a picture. Now of course, unlike when we drove by it the first time, there were several people there, fixing up the field due to the rain. A couple of them looked at me like I was nuts for taking pictures of it. But it was just like right out of Field of Dreams, but instead of plowing down corn fields, they plowed down a whole bunch of trees. Hey, "if you build it, he will come and take a picture". I know, that was dorky. Told you I was a dork.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFmLNrRaVI/AAAAAAAAAFI/rVC_xSifsZg/s1600-h/101_2813.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFmLNrRaVI/AAAAAAAAAFI/rVC_xSifsZg/s320/101_2813.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355173774755981650" border="0" /></a>So we drove from Pittsburgh into Ohio. First thing we noticed, the Ohio Turnpike doesn't take <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">EZPass</span>. Yes, you read that correctly. The Ohio Turnpike doesn't take <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">EZPass</span> or any kind of electronic pass. It's the old 1970's take a ticket and pay a ticket taker when you get off the exit. Nice. Second, Ohio is flat. Very flat. Too flat. Lots of farms. Say what you want about driving in western <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Pennsylvania</span>, but at least you have large hills and winding roads. I am glad we set up the trip to go to Cleveland then stay in Columbus, then drive to Cincinnati. Splits up the boredom. :-) There, I said it. So we got into downtown Cleveland and parked a Hilton <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Garden</span> Inn parking lot that had event parking ($10). It was only a short walk to the Park and saved us ten dollars as the closer lots were all $20. Now <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Progressive</span> Field is another field that's right in the heart of the City with things to do around it. There are bars, restaurants and hotels right within walking distance. Are you listening Fred <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Wilpon</span> and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Steinbrenners</span>??!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFnH19BUeI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/qhK6FCMqxTQ/s1600-h/101_2820.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFnH19BUeI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/qhK6FCMqxTQ/s320/101_2820.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355174816359993826" border="0" /></a>Progressive Field opened up as Jacobs Field in 1994 and like Camden Yards, it was one of the first new ballparks that went retro and was truly built as a baseball only stadium. In a recent Sports Illustrated Poll from 2008, Progressive was named the Major League's Best Ballpark. I can see why, it has a lot of character. It too offers a nice downtown backdrop view like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">PNC</span>. It has a great scoreboard in left center field, with the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">left field</span> stands underneath. Progressive field also offers the left field Home Run Porch where fans can stand and watch the game while taking in the great foot court that is there. It's slightly larger than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">PNC</span>, as it seats 43,515. It is definitely a hitters park. It's 325 down the left field line, left center is 370, right center is 375 and the right field line is 325. And it played like a hitters park Tuesday night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFo-y7pTeI/AAAAAAAAAFY/j25-PUusVYo/s1600-h/101_2824.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFo-y7pTeI/AAAAAAAAAFY/j25-PUusVYo/s320/101_2824.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355176859953352162" border="0" /></a>Now as you can see from the view in the previous picture, we had terrace box seats behind home plate. We were underneath an overhang and that came in handy big time Tuesday night. First, due to a rainstorm that hit prior to us getting there, the game start time was delayed 30 minutes. Now notice something with the scoreboard in the picture to the left. During rain delays, the Indians show other major league baseball games being played on the scoreboard! I have never seen that at any other ballpark that I have been too, except I think when the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Mets</span> were in the 2000 playoffs and they showed the Braves-Cards game on the scoreboard at Shea. So, again <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Wilpon</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Steinbrenners</span>, take note of this during rain delays!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFrFwEQDxI/AAAAAAAAAFg/zFKIKht8w9g/s1600-h/101_2830.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFrFwEQDxI/AAAAAAAAAFg/zFKIKht8w9g/s320/101_2830.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355179178466479890" border="0" /></a>As for the game, there weren't a lot of fans at the game. In fact, the paid attendance was 14, 793, which was even less than the night before in Pittsburgh. There were a good number of White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Sox</span> fans, but not as many as there were Cubs fans for the Pirates game (Cleveland is about a five and half hour trip from Chicago). The Indians have struggled this year with a current record of 33-50, which is the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">worst</span> in the American League. This is due in large part to an absolutely terrible pitching staff outside of Cliff Lee (more on that in a second).<br /><br />Just two years ago, the Indians were in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">ALCS</span> and had the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Sox</span> down 3-1 before the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Sox</span> came back to win the series then the World Series. That was the beginning of the downturn for Cleveland. Favored the next year, the Indians struggled at the start, then traded pitchers C.C. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Sabathia</span> and Paul Byrd, two guys who led them in their <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">ALCS</span> charge the year before. The current owners of the Indians don't have the payroll that perhaps they had under Dick and Richard Jacobs and they certainly couldn't afford CC. Again, the economy has hurt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">midwest</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">mideast</span> cities like Cleveland. The Indians had just recently pawned off Mark <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">DeRosa</span>, a free agent signing who led the Indians in RBIs with 50 to the Cardinals for a minor league reliever in Chris Perez (once a top Cards prospect) and a player to be named later. The trade was hammered by many in the Cleveland press.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFsv2yKYeI/AAAAAAAAAFo/59cb81VgDkg/s1600-h/101_2837.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFsv2yKYeI/AAAAAAAAAFo/59cb81VgDkg/s320/101_2837.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355181001335792098" border="0" /></a>As for the game itself, the Indians ace, Cliff Lee, the 2008 AL Cy Young Award Winner was pitching against the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Sox</span>' Clayton Richard. The advantage seemed to favor the Indians as Lee had pitched very well despite his 4-6 record with an ERA of 2.92 going into the game. However, Lee did not have his usual stuff in the game that night and never made it out of the fourth inning. The White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Sox</span> torched him for seven earned runs on eleven hits in three plus innings. The picture featured here is of the very talented rookie Gordon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Beckham</span> smacking a single off Lee. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Beckham</span> went 3-4 with a HR. Paul <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Konerko</span> absolutely crushed a homer off Lee to dead center.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFveIPUOGI/AAAAAAAAAFw/uxMCy0AnoEY/s1600-h/101_2870.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFveIPUOGI/AAAAAAAAAFw/uxMCy0AnoEY/s320/101_2870.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355183995318712418" border="0" /></a>The Indians fans were very restless and they took it out on their star player, Grady <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Sizemore</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Sizemore</span> has struggled this year, hitting .231 as of this article. He had a bad night against the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Sox</span> going o for 3 with a strikeout. And the fans let him know it. There were comments about his movie star looks etc etc. The only positive note was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Asdrubal</span> Cabrera's bases clearing double, pictured here, in the fifth inning that cut the lead to 9-4. But Mike Gosling gave up two home runs in the sixth, one to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Beckham</span> and the lead was 11-4.<br /><br />There was a brief rain delay early on in the game with the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Sox</span> up 7-0, where I am sure Ozzie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Guillen</span> was screaming for it to stop. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Guillen's</span> team is very talented with good hitting up and down the lineup and pretty decent starting pitching. However, the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Sox</span> are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">inconsistent</span> and their mercurial manager has recently shown his frustration about his team in the media. But tonight, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">Guillen</span> could be happy with the performance his team showed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFweN9oMVI/AAAAAAAAAF4/NGtrTurHHj0/s1600-h/101_2858.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFweN9oMVI/AAAAAAAAAF4/NGtrTurHHj0/s320/101_2858.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355185096366764370" border="0" /></a>Finally the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">thunderstorms</span> that the forecasts had promised showed up in the bottom of the seventh. It came down hard for a long time. Our seats underneath the overhang came in really handy this time. We passed the time away by watching the games on the scoreboard. Finally, we decided to walk around this great ballpark. It had some nice open areas and a lot of charm to it.<br /><br />However after what seemed to be an hour and with no letup in sight, the officials called the game and the White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Sox</span> won a rain shortened 11-4 contest. It was apparent why the Indians have the worst record in the AL. If the Indians don't get good starting pitching, and outside of Lee, they don't, their bullpen will get hammered, because it just wasn't very good. They used Gosling who was a reject from the Arizona <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Diamondbacks</span> and Matt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">Herges</span>, the well traveled journeyman. In fact, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">Herges</span> was designated for assignment this weekend, which tells you how good he has been.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFyXA7NGeI/AAAAAAAAAGA/qfmeIt_hKDI/s1600-h/101_2877.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlFyXA7NGeI/AAAAAAAAAGA/qfmeIt_hKDI/s320/101_2877.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355187171631110626" border="0" /></a>The Indians have given up the most runs in the majors with 456. If they could acquire some good pitching in the off-season, there is hope for the Rally Squirrels. The Indians are tied for third in the majors with 427 runs scored, so they can hit (and this is with an off season from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">Sizemore</span>, their best player). The question is, will the Indians be willing to invest some money in pitching or will they stand pat. There is even talk of the Indians trading Victor Martinez. I know if Dick Jacobs were running this team today, that wouldn't happen (Jacobs passed away earlier this year). Right now they could use Ricky "The Wild Thing" Vaughn and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">spitballer</span> Harris from "Major League"!<br /><br />So after the rain let up a little, we headed back to our car and starting make our way to Columbus, which was the halfway point to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">Cincinnati</span> and our next destination, the Great American Ballpark. We were thoroughly satisfied with Progressive Field (which by the way is literally right next to the Quicken Loans Arena where <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">Lebron</span> and the Cavaliers played) and definitely could see why it is so beloved. Howver, all that was playing on sports radio was who the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">Cavs</span> were going to sign as NBA free agency started at midnight. There were a few calls about the Indians being so bad, but it was mostly the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">Cavs</span>. Two years ago it was all about the Indians and C.C. winning the Cy Young. My how things change.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-78460553995467831962009-07-02T05:56:00.000-07:002009-07-09T02:09:21.701-07:00Day 2 Baseball Trip - Pittsburgh -Chicago<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlCtxoZjtXI/AAAAAAAAADY/OAo9kP4YvBw/s1600-h/101_2751.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlCtxoZjtXI/AAAAAAAAADY/OAo9kP4YvBw/s320/101_2751.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354971025113331058" border="0" /></a>I am sorry that these postings are behind schedule. It was very difficult writing my blog considering the amount of time we had to spend on the road and how late we got into our hotels. So this has now become a day by day past history log of each day of the trip.<br /><br />Day 2 started at the Comfort Inn Pittsburgh East hotel. After a warm, tasty breakfast and a dip in the very large indoor pool, we decided to head to the Pittsburgh Zoo, a place I took my family to last year. However, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tieff</span></span> and I decided to do something before our tour of the zoo. Tailgate with some Mike's Lemonades! Hey, its the only way to prep for the shark exhibit!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlCuYaPWlkI/AAAAAAAAADg/MT001VankPw/s1600-h/101_2628.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlCuYaPWlkI/AAAAAAAAADg/MT001VankPw/s320/101_2628.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354971691327329858" border="0" /></a>The Pittsburgh Zoo is a very underrated, interactive (as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tieff</span></span> puts it) zoo. The main attractions are the African jungle and the aquarium that's part of the zoo, which contains the shark exhibit and penguins. We started with the snow leopard and tiger exhibits and worked our way around the zoo. You can get a lot closer to the animals at the Pittsburgh Zoo than say the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bronx</span> Zoo. See the tiger picture to the left of this for further proof.<br /><br />At the zoo, we noticed a lot of Chicago Cubs fans who made the trip from the Windy City to the Steel City. In fact, the running joke at the bears exhibit was that the grizzly bear should be named "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ditka</span></span>". The other running joke was after seeing the Grant Zebras at the zoo, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Tieff</span> and I kept running the joke "Who's buried in Grant's Tomb? Grant's Zebras!" I know...<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">booo</span>!<br /><br />As for the Pittsburgh Zoo, you can spend a good part of the day at the zoo if you are with your family, like I did last year. It's one of the real jewels of Pittsburgh, along with the national aviary. After I complete a day to day log of this baseball trip, I will follow it up with suggestions for day trips to each of the baseball cities/ballparks I visited.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlCws8VCmWI/AAAAAAAAADw/z4-FQHyxe98/s1600-h/101_2797.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlCws8VCmWI/AAAAAAAAADw/z4-FQHyxe98/s320/101_2797.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354974243098630498" border="0" /></a>So after two or so hours at the Pittsburgh Zoo, we headed to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">PNC</span></span> park for the game between the Pirates and the Chicago Cubs. As you can see from the picture to the left, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">PNC</span></span> Park is basically in downtown Pittsburgh right across from the Roberto Clemente bridge. To me, the ballpark features the best <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">centerfield</span></span> backdrop view of any ballpark I have ever seen.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">PNC</span></span> is also very intimate. It seats 38,396 and it feels that way. You are very close to the action and there is little in the way of foul territory. This was my second game at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">PNC</span></span>. The first game was last summer with my Uncle Elmer (who lives right outside Pittsburgh in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Glenshaw</span>) and my oldest son Matthew. For that game we sat on the first base line, parallel to first base. For this game against the Cubs, as you can see above, we sat behind home plate. I paid $27.00 per ticket for these seats which I only got a few weeks ago (of course I had to pay the awful <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Ticketmaster</span></span> event fee as well - it's how they make their money). There was a reason why I was able to get seats like this only a few weeks in advance and I will get to that shortly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlCzCyhf3dI/AAAAAAAAAD4/I3PDagaA58o/s1600-h/101_2780.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlCzCyhf3dI/AAAAAAAAAD4/I3PDagaA58o/s320/101_2780.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354976817446903250" border="0" /></a>Sadly there weren't a lot of people here at this game, which became the theme for a lot of the games I went to on this trip. The economy has really hit older cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Cincinnati</span> the hardest. Old steel and factory cities that rely heavily on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">manufacturing</span></span> and industry. Pittsburgh seems to be one of the hardest hit. There were only 15,000 in attendance at this game and it was mostly Cubs fans. The usher for our section warned me that there wasn't going to be too many people in attendance tonight.<br /><br />$27 a ticket seems incredibly reasonable for someone like me from New York who is used to paying $60 a seat for games in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">rightfield</span></span> corner with a limited view for a non-premium tiered <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Mets</span></span> game (meaning it would have been more watching the Dodgers play the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Mets</span></span> than the Marlins game I attended). In fact, where we were sitting at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">PNC</span></span> would have cost at least 15-20 times more at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Citi</span></span> Field.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlC4JEOpuNI/AAAAAAAAAEI/NerfA7omdbI/s1600-h/101_2762.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlC4JEOpuNI/AAAAAAAAAEI/NerfA7omdbI/s320/101_2762.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354982422837049554" border="0" /></a>But there are several reasons why I was able to get great seats for this game and the Thursday <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Mets</span></span>-Pirates game. The cost of living in Pittsburgh is much less than New York, thus the average salary a Pittsburgh resident makes is much less as well. So the Pirates have priced their seats accordingly. Also, the Pirates have not had a winning season in over seventeen years and they are on pace to make it eighteen this year. The Pirates haven't won over 70 games since 2004.<br /><br />It's sad to see because the Pirates were once one of the most dominant teams in baseball. In fact from 1969-1979, the Pirates finished first in the National League East Division six times and won two World Series (1971 and 1979), thanks to guys like Hall of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Famer</span></span> Willie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Stargell</span></span> (whose bronze statue at the park is shown above).<br /><br />And their team's payroll is one of the lowest in baseball. In the past 18 months, they have traded away reasonably priced players such as Jason Bay, Xavier Nady, and most recently Nate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">McLouth</span></span>, who they signed to a three year, fifteen million dollar deal in February. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">McLouth</span></span> was traded to the Braves for three prospects, a common theme in all the recent Pirates trades.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlC2A8sUirI/AAAAAAAAAEA/W6BxgKOeOp4/s1600-h/101_2782.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlC2A8sUirI/AAAAAAAAAEA/W6BxgKOeOp4/s320/101_2782.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354980084351797938" border="0" /></a>In fact, we got to see a little irony at this game on Monday night. The Pirates left fielder Monday night was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Nyjer</span></span> Morgan, a fast left handed hitting left fielder who led the Pirates in steals. It was the last game I saw Morgan play for the Pirates. On Wednesday, the Pirates stupidly traded Morgan to the Washington Nationals for the enigmatic (and also currently hurt) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Lastings</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Milledge</span></span> and "The Wild Thing", Joel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Hanrahan</span></span>. The Pirates players were very outspoken in the media against the trade.<br /><br />In fact at the Nationals game on Friday night , we talked to a rabid Nationals fan who commented "I guess the Pirates saw something in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Hanrahan</span></span> that we hadn't seen in the first sixty games." Ouch!. So two thirds of the Pirates starting outfield at the start of the season, Morgan and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">McLouth</span></span>, are now gone. Ah the genius of Neal Huntington<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29"></span>. Huntington seems to have followed in the footsteps of Dave Littlefield and Cam Bonifay, the two previous general managers of the Pirates who were equally inept.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlC7ZrrfstI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/dlpRMbQ304E/s1600-h/101_2805.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlC7ZrrfstI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/dlpRMbQ304E/s320/101_2805.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354986006839800530" border="0" /></a>As for the game itself, well it was not surprising that the Pirates offense which once boasted two all stars in Bay and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">McLouth</span></span>, is now so anemic. They managed only one run against the Cubs Rich Harden who struck out nine in seven innings. Of course, genius me forgot to move Harden up in my CBS <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Sportsline</span></span> league (I also did that with Randy Wells two nights later -duh). Zach Duke, the Pirates ace, pitched well giving up only three runs in seven innings but he got no support from the Pirate lineup. The Pirates had nine hits, but outside of Andy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">LaRoche's</span></span> double, they were for the most part soft hits.<br /><br />The Cubs got their runs on a solo homer from the suddenly powerful Ryan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Theriot</span></span>, a RBI double from Milton Bradley and a RBI single from light hitting Andres <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Blanco</span></span>. The Pirates scored their lone run on a Jack Wilson <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">groundout</span></span>. Final, 3-1 Cubs as Kevin Gregg closed the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Buccos</span></span> out in the ninth for the save.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlC9Ot-hlFI/AAAAAAAAAEY/SOfI2RBXLVw/s1600-h/101_2759.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SlC9Ot-hlFI/AAAAAAAAAEY/SOfI2RBXLVw/s320/101_2759.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354988017501181010" border="0" /></a>We left <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">PNC</span></span> for another hotel in Pittsburgh that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Tieff</span> thought was closer to Cleveland. Turned out it was only six miles away from our other hotel. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">LOL</span></span>. I left that night wondering when the Pirates would be successful again. They seem to be hamstrung with a tight payroll, a lousy general manager in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Huntington</span></span> and a rough economy that has hit Pittsburgh hard.<br /><br />It's truly a shame to see only 15,000 in what I consider the most beautiful baseball park in America. But I knew I would get to see it again on Thursday when the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Buccos</span></span> take on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Mets</span></span>. Now it was off to Cleveland, where again I got to see a once proud franchise having fallen on hard times. Details to come.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9049266792070104924.post-69220131157119563592009-06-30T05:39:00.000-07:002009-07-09T02:09:21.711-07:00Welcome to Ninety Feet From Home - Day One of a Six Day Baseball Trip<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoU4gOSEzI/AAAAAAAAACw/SEx88TGHv14/s1600-h/101_2543.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoU4gOSEzI/AAAAAAAAACw/SEx88TGHv14/s320/101_2543.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353114068038325042" border="0" /></a><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family:arial;">Welcome to my new blog, Ninety Feet From Home. This site is all about baseball whether it's fantasy, the minor leagues, the major leagues etc. Since I have a nearly 40 year love of baseball, I thought it was time to start writing about it. I briefly had started another blog that was strictly about fantasy. I thought that was too limiting. This will encompass all things baseball. My first set of articles centers around my seven games in six days baseball trip.<br /><br />Several weeks ago I ran an idea by my good friend Tony Terentieff to go on a baseball trip. The idea was to go on a four day baseball trip where we would go to Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Tieff was certainly up for it, so much so that one day he called me at work and told me our itinerary. As I wrote it down, he rattled off six games in six days.<br /><br /><p>June 28 - Washington vs. Baltimore - Camden Yards</p><p>June 29 - Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh - PNC<br /><br />June 30 - Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland - Progressive Field (Jacobs)<br /><br />July 1 - Arizona vs. Cincinatti - Great American Ballpark<br /><br />July 2- NY Mets vs. Pittsburgh - PNC<br /><br />July 3 - Atlanta vs. Washington - Nats Park D.C.<br /><br /><br />First, I was stunned. Anthony Terentieff, Mr. Late Planner, planning out an expansive itinerary? I was shocked. When I told my wife, she was shocked. But the trip was on. I added a second game to July 2 in Hagerstown, Maryland which is right near the Pennsylvania border, where we are staying Thursday night (the Pirates - Mets game is a 12:35 start, Hagerstown plays at home at 7:00 pm).<br /><br /><b>First Day - Baltimore, Maryland</b><br />So the day was here. Sunday, June 28. Tony and I headed out for our seven baseball games in six days in trip. We’ve named our trip “Cheap Motels, Cheap Food and Baseball.” I had all my things packed – my clothes, my laptop, a case of Poland Spring Water and, wait for it, a twelve pack of assorted Mike’s Hard Lemonades in my cooler. We left about 7:30 in the morning from my house in <st1:place st="on">North Bellmore. For once in the seemingly past month and a half, it was a sunny day. It was perfect weather for a day in the Inner</st1:place> <st1:placetype st="on">Harbor</st1:placetype> in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Baltimore</st1:place></st1:city></p> <p><o:p> </o:p></p> <p>We drove non-stop south on the Jersey Turnpike to the last rest area, the Clara Barton rest stop, before the Delaware Bridge. Why? Cheap <st1:place st="on">Jersey gas. Anyway, while getting gas, I stopped into the rest room, then got a bag of ice and went to the counter. At the counter was a girl, who could have been a really pretty girl with long hair, except for the multi colored punk haircut, and the lip earrings she had (don’t forget the nose ring). She was actually very pleasant while I was at the counter. But I wanted to just grab her, show a mirror and say “You know, you could really be pretty if you got rid of the stupid earrings and use your normal hair!” All I can say is thank goodness I have two little boys.</st1:place></p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoVLH6RqzI/AAAAAAAAAC4/KPDy9fO48Ks/s1600-h/101_2542.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoVLH6RqzI/AAAAAAAAAC4/KPDy9fO48Ks/s320/101_2542.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353114387929475890" border="0" /></a></span>Well, back on the road we went. Neither one of us had breakfast, unless you want to call my cup of Yoplait yogurt breakfast. So we decided to stop at where all trips should really start – Waffle House! After our all star breakfasts, we were back on the road. We got to Baltimore a little before noon. We parked at the Sheraton Inner <st1:placetype st="on">Harbor</st1:placetype> for $20 (that wasn’t cheap) but it was the perfect spot between Camden Yards and the <st1:place st="on">Inner</st1:place> <st1:placetype st="on">Harbor</st1:placetype>.<span style="font-family:arial;"><p><o:p></o:p></p> <p><o:p> </o:p></p> <p><o:p> </o:p></p> <p><o:p> </o:p></p> <p>When we got to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Baltimore</st1:city></st1:place>, it was warm but very cloudy, unlike most of the trip which had been sunny. Of course, Tony decided to spend five minutes putting sunblock on. I kept busting his chops during the five minutes; because I knew something he didn’t (more on that in a second). I had been to Camden Yards ten years ago thanks to my friend Harry whose brother in law was having a birthday party at one of the club suites in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Camden</st1:place></st1:city>. We stayed our friend’s Bones place in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Maryland</st1:place> (yeah we call him Bones, great guy though). I didn’t really get a chance to walk around or see the <st1:place st="on">Inner</st1:place> <st1:placetype st="on">Harbor</st1:placetype> that much.</st1:state> I made up for it on this today. We entered Gate F and then decided to walk around the <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Eutaw Street</st1:address></st1:street> entrance. <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Camden</st1:place></st1:city> is one of the ROK stadiums, which means lots of brick and a similar architectural look. <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Camden</st1:place></st1:city> was the first of many ROK built and it’s still one of the best. They built this stadium right. There is a lot to do outside of <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Camden</st1:city></st1:place> with restaurants and bars right along <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Eutaw Street</st1:address></st1:street> and it’s also a short walk from the Ravens stadiums.</p> <p><o:p> </o:p></p> <p>So, we finally made our way to our seats, Section 27, Terrace Box behind home plate. Good seats. But what Tieff didn’t know is that the terrace box seats are completely underneath the overhang. No issues about sun. So Tieff put on the sunblock for nothing.</p> <p><o:p> </o:p></p> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoaHNsGuGI/AAAAAAAAADA/9WK-LHdA16M/s1600-h/101_2567.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoaHNsGuGI/AAAAAAAAADA/9WK-LHdA16M/s320/101_2567.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353119818319312994" border="0" /></a>As for the game itself, the Orioles took on the Nationals. John Lannan pitched for the Nats while rookie David Hernandez took the hill for the O’s. They had a barber shop quartet, the Glen Echoes, sing the national anthem (as well as God Bless <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region> in the seventh). The rendition was quite good. Also, when the national anthem gets to “O say...” the crowd yells “OHHHHHH”. Good touch.</st1:place></p> <p><o:p> </o:p></p> <p><o:p> </o:p></p> <p>The Orioles were missing leadoff hitter Brian Roberts and Melvin Mora and it showed. Lannan kept the Orioles in check for seven plus innings. The O’s got off to a 1-0 lead on a few hits in the third inning but ran themselves out of the inning. Meanwhile, the Nats scrapped for a few funs off Hernandez, including an absolute SHOT by Adam Dunn that went on to Eutaw Street for a two run homer that put the Nats up 2-1.<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoabqrKTrI/AAAAAAAAADI/1uKCnE-LE1I/s1600-h/101_2583.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoabqrKTrI/AAAAAAAAADI/1uKCnE-LE1I/s320/101_2583.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353120169697365682" border="0" /></a>Orioles’ rookie catcher Matt Wieters has struggled at the plate but acquitted himself in the field nicely. He gunned out one runner and nearly threw out Willie Harris at second after Harris got a great jump off Hernandez. However he made two critical mistakes later in the game. He dropped a great one bounce throw by Adam Jones that resulted in the Nats third run. Then in the ninth inning after a Josh Willingham double, Willingham tried to steal third. Wieters, trying to gun out Willingham, threw the ball in left field, resulting in Willingham scoring. The Nats’ Mike MacDougal closed out the game as the Nats won 5-3.</p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p>There were a lot of empty seats at <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Camden</st1:place></st1:city> Sunday, which showed how far the Orioles have dropped in the past ten years. Ten years ago when I went to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Camden</st1:place></st1:city>, there wasn’t an empty seat in the house. That’s because the Orioles were perennial contenders during that time. Not now. My guess, 25-30,000 at most (official attendance 25,068)<br /></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoazeXlIhI/AAAAAAAAADQ/FJuS-uOrBeM/s1600-h/101_2602.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uT_wn4juybI/SkoazeXlIhI/AAAAAAAAADQ/FJuS-uOrBeM/s320/101_2602.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353120578710872594" border="0" /></a>So, after the game, we went to the <st1:place st="on">Inner</st1:place> <st1:placetype st="on">Harbor</st1:placetype>. It’s a great place to take the family. The National Aquarium is there. There are dragon boats that you can take out on the bay. There are lots of shops, restaurants, ESPN Zone, Hard Rock Café etc. Lots of live entertainment during the summer. We ended up eating at the Phillips Buffet in the Mall. We had a very pretty waitress named Marci. Now I couldn’t quite place her accent. It was Southern but it had like a <st1:place st="on">Brooklyn flavor to it. Turns out she originally lived in New York and New Jersey, then lived in West Virginia, then settled in Baltimore for the last few years. Yup, that sounds about right.</st1:place></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">After a big seafood meal and waiting seemingly 30 minutes to digest that and have dessert, we walked around Inner Harbor. After we walked around for a while, we headed off back to our car in the Sheraton Parking Lot and drove out to Pittsburgh. One interesting note; when heading on I-70 from Baltimore to Pittsburgh, there is one point where the I-70 highway ends briefly and becomes the main street of Breezewood, PA. It's really surreal seeing an interstate end at a stop light and having to drive to main street of a town to get back on to I-70/I-76 Penn Turnpike to get to Pittsburgh. Almost seems like the townspeople made a deal with the governor way back when. :-)</p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">Finally, we got to our motel, a Comfort Inn in Pittsburgh East. It's a little out of the way and you might miss it if you are not careful. More about that and Day 2, in my next posting.<br /></p></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13068814551973487809noreply@blogger.com1