M.L.B. errors again

I spent the day surfing the net, after yesterday's great baseball day, surfs up. Ran into the predictable indignation from the Fenway faithful. Yes, indeed, the poor Sox are innocent victims. They haven't been attacked like this since the ultimate evil-doer, Don Zimmer, went after saint
Pedro.

Here's how the story goes: 21yr old Joba Chamberlain on the mound with a chance to register career save #1, a packed house cheers his every move, after retiring the 1st hitter in the 9th, Joba decides he will throw at Kevin Youkillis's head. 99 mph heat straight for the noggin that'll be a great way to end the day. Posada calls for a fastball and sets up low and away. Perfect the plan is set, time to kill someone. The pitch sails high and hard far over Youk's head. Wait, this is the kid with the pin-point control, as proved conclusively in his 11 lifetime major league innings, how could he possibly miss. Youk reacts in understandably stunned fashion(who does he think he is Pedro Martinez?--oh yeah Pedro wouldn't miss.) Now as the fable continues, if at first you don't succeed--try,try again. Joba lets fly again and misses yet again. The umpire sends the rookie to the showers.


It's not surprising that Red Sox nation is reacting this way. They have, um, historical issues and focusing on their meek looking team may be painful at the moment. Delusion can be expected.



Here's where it gets crazy, FOX sports is reporting that Chamberlain has been suspended for two games:

"Bob Watson, baseball's vice president for discipline, cited Chamberlain for "inappropriate actions." Watson at first contemplated suspending Chamberlain for three games but decided on a two-game penalty after conversations with Yankees officials, a person familiar with the talks said, speaking on condition of anonymity because that detail wasn't made public. Yankees manager Joe Torre was upset after the ejection. "That's absolutely ridiculous," he said. "Unfortunately, in a lot of situations, the umpires do not apply common sense. And I've seen it too many times. And something has to change. Either they have to school them or do something that certainly gives them a feel for the game better than they showed today."

M.L.B. officials are putting together an interesting streak of inane decisions. Let's see: 1) Bud Selig's history. 2) Mike Port's directive to the umpires of the Yankee/Tiger rain delayed game, to do whatever it takes to get the game in. The result--an 11:06 pm start, a 3:30 am conclusion in a game with serious playoff implications. 3) The fashion police invading the Sox dugout, during the game and demanding that they inspect Terry Francona's uniform while the game was being played. 4) Now they're suspending rookies, during pennant races, for throwing 2 wild-pitches that hit nothing.

As Joe Torre said:"Something has to change."

Pennant race notes

Some random notes from an exciting few days of East coast pennant race action.:

• Manny Ramirez may have a few idiosyncrasies but his value to the Red Sox lineup was never more obvious. Without Manny being Manny, Big Popi is surrounded by passive banjo hitters. The Yanks pitching was good but the Sox hitters made them look great.
• Will someone please tell Coco Crisp a hitter is supposed to swing the bat at the ball. Looks like his response to the Sox O.B.P. mantra is to stand statue like at the plate.
• The Red Sox remaining soft schedule should virtually insure that they don't collapse and will indeed hang on and not lose the AL East. But they are probably looking forward to playing the Bombers, in the post-season, as much as the Yanks are eagerly awaiting the Angels.
• I tried to simultaneously watch the Yanks/Sox and the Mets/Phillies while playing poker. Had to leave the table, this time of year baseball is king.
• Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez was explaining the abysmal performance of the Phillies bullpen: "They don't deserve to win." This was followed by another melt-down of the Mets pen that gave the game away again.
• Recently, the topic of discussion in the Mets booth was that there has always been potential for a big rivalry with the Phillies but the Phils never won enough to make it come alive. Be careful what you wish for, the Charlie Manuel led(go figure) team looks inspired and has nothing to lose.
• The Red Sox and Mets are finding out that it's not easy living up to expectations when you are the favorite and front-runner.
• Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, in a post game interview, was asked about the shift of emotions during a crucial, wild 11-10 victory. He responded:"That's baseball." As we head to the conclusion of this roller coaster season his words sum it up perfectly.
  

Pettitte in the clutch

Andy Pettitte won another big game last night. After the disastrous road trip, a confidence boost was important. The Sox came in rested and hitting on all cylinders looking to bury the Yanks for good. A stopper was needed and Pettitte delivered.

Here's a report from Base Line Report:

"Andy Pettitte is a winner plain and simple. With the Yankees season on the line he has been at his best. With this win he became 6-0 in August, and improved overall to 12-7 and improved his ERA to 3.70. That is the sign of a guy who pitches his best when everything is on the line. What other pitcher in baseball would be more reliable to win one big game?"

When the Yanks decided to bring Andy back, I wondered how much he had left. He left town years ago with a questionable elbow. He has pitched a lot of post-season baseball. Although only 34, he was talking retirement. Than the Yanks throws a 2 year 32 million-dollar deal his way. It seemed excessive, even by Yankee standards.

Well, in a season marked with dubious decisions, this was a stroke of brilliance. We may question his elbow but nobody can question Andy Pettitte's heart.

Cashman's Deja Vu

While the roof collapses on the Yank's season, the actions of the man in charge, Brian Cashman, are reminiscent of the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. As Yogi allegedly said: "Deja Vu all over again."

Last night's embarrassing 16-0 defeat (the worst road shutout loss in franchise history) is an indication of where the team is now. What's scary is what's being done to alter the course.

The New York Times reported: "Yankee No.1 pick Andrew Brackman had reconstructive elbow surgery last Friday, Brian Cashman said. The Yankees signed Brackman for a guaranteed $4.5 million on Aug. 15, and determined he needed surgery after his first few workouts. "We knew there was certainly a possibility when we signed him but we had to wait and see," Cashman said." This scenario is eerily reminiscent of Brian's acquisition of Humberto Sanchez for Gary Sheffield. The same pattern--build up the potential of the prospect, turns out the player was damaged goods, than say I knew it the whole time but he'll be really good in a couple of years.

While still wincing from the Times article, I see this from the New York Post:

"However, it does provide the Yankees with a chance to take a look at Kennedy, their first-round pick a year ago, or White. GM Brian Cashman mentioned them last week when asked about possible replacements for Mussina.
He also said Kei Igawa was in the mix. Cashman didn't mention Matt DeSalvo, who pitched well last night for Triple-A Scranton but has been a failure in two major-league stints.

Brian said: "Kei Igawa is in the mix." Someone said: "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to make the same mistakes."

On April 29TH I wrote an article titled: "Cashman's replacement." I advocated the replacement of Brian Cashman(whose judgement I questioned) with Buck Showalter who had the experience and track record of developing talent. I was criticized for being premature in my conclusion. It was the right move than and it's the right move now.

Baseball heat wave in the Bronx

The pressure is on big-time for the Bombers. A crucial juncture in the schedule has collided with 60% of their starting pitching going belly-up. The latest rabbit to be pulled out of Brian Cashman's hat--relying on Double-A pitchers for the stretch drive--is not the miracle it was hyped to be.



Base Line Report offers some useful info. regarding teetering Mike Mussina:

"today Mussina will be on a short leash. There are reports that the Yankees could option him to Triple-A Scranton, according to the New York Post, in a move to test Ian Kennedy and possibly make him available if the Yankees make it to the post-season."

Moose to the minors? Another minor league pitcher to the rescue? It sounds like the short-term and the long-term plans are now co-mingled into a desperate mess. The young players the Yanks have brought up have displayed strong talent and potential(Joba is the dominant exception.) Is it fair to them to throw them into the fire? Is this a shrewd plan or the actions of a GM looking to do anything to avoid a playoff-less disaster.

Lessons for a rookie blogger

This is my rookie year. You learn as you go. It helps to pay attention to the veterans. Here is one bloggers approach to dealing with graveyard baseball. Peter Robins -Brown, from Bugs and Cranks writes:



"Well, while two beers quickly became five for me, it seems MLB officials decided that the game was to be played through hell or high water (literally), and the first pitch was finally released a few ticks after eleven o’clock at night. Thus began a long night’s journey into oblivion, both for the Tigers and myself.
By the time the game actually got under way I had a nice little buzz on, but was still all to aware that I was going to have to figure out how to revolve a night of partying around a graveyard shift baseball game. That meant every beer run turned into a twenty minute affair as I stopped to watch an inning; every person who tried talking to me was met with my eyes furtively glancing at the television screen behind their heads; and every suggested plan for the night was met with cries of sorrow if the proposed idea didn’t include a place with easy television access."



There is no need to send me back to the minors. The lesson learned: don't take it too seriously and go with the flow.

The Umpires strike back

I had been trying to find a rational explanation, for the decision, to start the previous nights Yankee/Tiger game at 11:06PM. As detailed in the previous article: "Yanks/Tigers work overtime" the umpires involved clearly blew the call.

YES broadcaster Michael Kay offered up an explanation that I would have thought implausible. He said that there was a rumor going around that the reason the umps decided to start the game at such a ridiculous time was because they had caught flak earlier in the season for calling a game early. Kay said that Joe Torre had confirmed there was truth to the rumor.

The umpires are highly paid professionals who are supposed to guard the integrity of the game. Vindictiveness, or covering your ass, is not part of the job description. I believe that this situation should be investigated in depth and the results fully disclosed to the fans. The fans that paid for this game should be given refunds. Than, again, given that the commissioners office is not exactly known for decisive action, it would probably take years for Bud Selig to conclude anything.

UPDATE: After writing this entry, I read a note in the New York Times that provides more information. Torre is quoted: "Evidently, the umpires got a call saying, 'You're going to play at any cost.' That's the edict and that's what we did."

MLB continues to prosper, no matter how incompetently they are managed.

Yanks/Tigers work graveyard shift

I turned on the tube last night, looking forward to watching a pivotal game in the pennant race--Yanks/Tigers. The screen read: "Rain Delay." Checked back several times until 10 PM EST. nothing changed so assumed doubleheader today. Put on ESPN while fixing breakfast and was surprised and chagrined to see final score Tigers 9 Yanks 6. Didn't realize how bizarre this was until just read details from Baseball Musings:



If you stayed up to watch the Yankees-Tigers game last night, you probably won't be reading this for a few hours:
By the time Tigers shortstop Carlos Guillen finally put this game to bed - after 11 grueling innings - it read 3:30 a.m.
"That," said Joel Zumaya, who glanced at the clock from time to time, "is the longest game I've been to in my life."
Severe weather ripped through Metro Detroit during the evening, and delayed the first pitch by four hours and one minute. Tigers rookie starter Andrew Miller finally wound up at 11:06 p.m., and, while the rest of baseball slept, the Yanks and Tigers toiled for four hours and 24 minutes.
It continued until Guillen sent Sean Henn's 1-2 pitch over the wall in left, for a two-out, three-run, game-winning homer, to clinch an epic, 9-6 triumph, before what remained of the announced sellout of 44,163.
"Well," Guillen sighed, "that's the first time I've hit a home run at 3:30 in the morning."
I will question the wisdom of starting a game an hour after the usual ending time. The weather report is clear for the next three days, so there was ample opportunity to replay the game."



I'll go beyond "questioning the wisdom" as David Pinto wrote. This was an inane decision. Do the fans benefit from an 11PM start and an unbelievable 3:30 AM conclusion? Do the players who are in the heat of the wild-card race? Not even TV makes out. What ever happened to the concept of : "Best interests of Baseball."

David Wells lives

Rumors of his baseball demise, were exaggerated. Yes, David "Boomer" Wells is back. I thought the Yanks had pitching issues. The LA Times, in an article titled: "Dodgers take flyer on Wells" documents the state of the Dodger pitching:

"Tomko, Hendrickson and Kuo combining to go 6-20 with a 5.98 ERA and 219 hits allowed in 183 2/3 innings as starters.So while Wells may not be the answer -- he gave up 26 runs in his final 16 2/3 innings with San Diego, leaving him 5-8 with a 5.54 ERA -- he doesn't have to be very good to be better than what the Dodgers have to choose from."

Note to Bian Cashman--Mike Mussina would look good in Dodger Blue.

Mike Mussina--a year too late

He looks like the reliable pitcher with the distinguished career, just doesn't pitch like him. Mike Mussina personifies the age-old Branch Rickey warning: "It's better to trade a player a year too early than a year too late." The organization was hoping Mike could be part of the bridge to the future--a solid veteran that could bye time while the rookies develop. Unfortunately, Moose is collapsing, when his teammates need him most.

The Angels buried him last night, worse than the Tigers did last week. The Red Sox have done the same twice this season. His ERA is now north of 5. It's hard to remember the last time he came up big in an important game.

In today's NY Times, Murray Chass writes:

"He could help put the Yankees closer to the Red Sox and make that series even more meaningful than it stands to be right now. But to create that possibility, Mussina would have to attain a pitching height he all too often misses."

I'm reminded of the old Neil Young song: "Rust never sleeps." Oh well, hopefully Brian is on the phone to Trenton.

Yankee youth movement

No rational person expected a pennant race this year, after the miserable start. The light at the end of the tunnel was the blue-chip prospects that were hyped since the spring. Long-time Yankee fans know better than to pay attention to the noise. History tells us the hype is hyperbole. It appeared this year was no different as a GM on the hot-seat was touting Double-A kids.

Funny thing happened though--these kids can play and in the case of Joba, dominate. In typical New York style, the bandwagon mushroomed--the future is now. The reality is that young players need time to develop. Learning in the heat of a pennant race isn't always pretty.

Last night's Angel game provided proof. Cano's recent mental lapses were chronicled for the viewers as we witnessed Hughes struggle. Here's an analysis from Base Line Report:
"He can be dominant but Hughes needs to learn how to adjust to hitters and learn from his previous starts, a normal progression of development when learning how to pitch in the minors leagues."

Problem is he is learning against elite major league competition and expected to win now. It's fun to watch the kids compete and push the veterans. The reality is patience will be required, that's not exactly a Gotham strong point.

The next great Yankee closer

The Yankees and their fans have been spoiled, for a long time, with a distinguished list of elite closers. Sparky Lyle, Goose Gossage, Dave Righetti, John Wettlend and the GREAT RIVERA have shortened games for decades. Preserving leads and the teams confidence is an essential role.



The recent Yankee dynasty featured defeated opponents with a consistent refrain: "The difference is Rivera." Well, Mariano is 37, and until recently, there was no successor in sight. That all changed when 21 year-old Joba Chamberlain showed up throwing 99 on the black as a prelude to a knee-buckling slider. Confidence is not an issue, as having the audacity to shake off Posada on a 3/2 pitch to his first big-league hitter demonstrated.



The organizations official position is that Chamberlain is a starter. The Red Sox said the same thing about Papelbon, until auditioning the Pinieros of the world, opened their eyes to reality. Joba Chamberlain could buttress the bullpen for many years. He would support and be mentored by a Hall of Fame closer. The rosters Achilles heal becomes a dominant strength.

Chamberlain's coach at Nebraska, Mike Andrews: "He likes to give. He's competing for the Yankee organization. He wants to win for that team." Joba and the Yanks' interests would best be served if he were competing and winning out of the bullpen.

Damon concedes job to Cabrera

Johnny Damon is a rare commodity. There aren't many proven, successful players willing to put the team first, but Damon is an exception. Today's New York Times documents Johnny's adjustment to a part-time role. Writer Tyler Kepner quotes Damon on his replacement Melky Cabrera: "I think they can pretty much pencil Melky in as the every day center fielder for a number of years." Kepner notes that Melky earned the job with his defense and energy. The team has 59wins, 42 losses with Cabrera in the starting lineup and is 10/12 without him.

Damon had a series of early season injuries that hindered his defense. His arm has always been suspect. Watching him lob throws is painful and reminiscent of a fading Bernie Williams. Johnny knows he is no match for Melky's arm strength--Cabrera's 12 assists attest to that. Give Damon credit, he is taking the situation in a positive, professional manner. In the off season, he should be rewarded with a trade to a contender that can use a quality team player.

Phil Rizzuto made you smile

The legacy of Yankee icon Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto has been chronicled in great detail. The Hall of Fame playing career would be plenty for most people, but Scooter followed it with a 40YR. broadcasting career that was earmarked with humor and the ability to not take yourself too seriously.



I grew up listening to Scooter on the radio, there is something about him that just made you smile. Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe puts it into perspective:



"But the playing talent alone wasn't the reason his obituary began on page A1 of the Aug. 15 New York Times, or why the Daily News had him on Page 1 with eight full pages of coverage and the Post had him on Page 1 with six pages of Scooter coverage. This is the reason:
'Oh man,You talk about having fun broadcasting games.That year, I mean there were home runs every day.There was nothing but a lot of runs.Makes it a lot easier.All right!Here's Lovullo.Torey Luvollo.I've been calling him "Tony."And he pops it up.'
Or this:'FridayWhen I was forced to leave the game after six innings,You now.I almost came back in the 13th inning.Moore.I want you to know I was thinking of Murcer and Seaver there.
II
I woke up.And it was like,Like a nightmare.I said,"Could the game still be going on?"And sure enough.I started to get dressed.And then the 14th inning came.If it had gone another inning,I'd have been there."



Long time Yankee fans that had the opportunity to hear Phil work his magic will thoroughly enjoy Mr. Ryans article: "One and only Scooter."

Igawa stays

MLB Trade Rumors, is quoting Buster Olney , that Kei Igawa will stay in the Yankee organization:
"the Yankees chose not to dump Igawa's contract on the Padres, and the two sides couldn't reach an agreement via trade. The Padres had won the claim on Igawa, which shows just how little interest there was around baseball."

Igawa has clearly demonstrated that he is not major-league caliber. A high-ball pitcher with mediocre stuff has no chance--especially in the American League. Given the quality depth in the organization, it surprises me that Cashman chose not to acknowledge a significant error and move on.

Melky Cabrera baffles experts

Melky Cabrera has the stat. gurus scratching their heads. Playing the game with joy and enthusiasm can't be quantified, extrapolated or projected. Anyone witnessing the Yank's reincarnation can testify that it was sparked by the emergence of the kid in center.

Last year, I watched an interview with a representative of Baseball America. He was asked why the Yankee farm system continued to be ranked so low, considering the emergence of :Wang, Cano and Cabrera. He responded by reciting the scouting reports for each. He postulated that Melky would end up: "No better than a #4 outfielder." I'm sure that the respected analyst had all the reports to back up his opinion. I wonder if he ever watched him play the game. (Sorry, I'm old-school.) The analysis was skewed because baseball is more than mere numbers.

Joe Torre has consistently said that:"Melky gives us energy." Anyone doubting that can witness it every time Cabrera takes the field.

Mets can't rival Yanks

Recently, I was watching a Mets/Braves game. The contest had significant pennant race implications as the fortified Braves look to regain their traditional perch at the top of the N.L. East. As the TV cameras panned the Shea stadium stands,late in a tight game, it was odd to see so many empty seats--the bleachers were virtually empty.

This was the year that the Mets were poised to overtake the Yanks in Gotham dominance. They had purchased an excellent nucleus and Omar augmented it with an interesting group of young players. The Yanks were an old team filled with bloated contracts that floundered out of the gate.

A glance at this mornings standings reveals an eye-opening revelation--the Yanks have a better record than the Mets. The more things change; the more they stay the same.

Vic Ziegel, of the New York Daily News, from an article titled: "Mets second to one":

" But this is a town that always expects the Yankees to be an October team, no matter where they are in midsummer. And, by gum, it's happening again. Tradition, tradition.
The Mets are a team that wasn't even born when Mickey Mantle almost hit a ball out of Yankee Stadium. It's been uphill for them since 1962, just another year when the Yankees won their 137th World Series.
But this year began differently and stayed that way for a couple of months. At 21-29, the Yanks were 12 games behind the Mets after the games of May 29. The town, some of the boroughs, anyway, belonged to the Mets even though most of the headlines, ugly headlines, were about Joe Torre's disappointing team, his job.
Fast forward. The Yanks are 44-22 since then, the best run in these United States, and the Mets are a stumbling 31-35."

Being 2ND best in the New York market, isn't the end of the world, for the New York Metropolitans-- it's destiny.

David Wells--RIP

David "Boomer" Wells's career appears to be over. I've always had mixed feelings about Boomer. On one hand, he was a durable lefty who knew how to pitch and was a big-game winner; on the other hand he was, well, physical conditioning challenged. Given his long history of back problems, it is questionable that he optimized his performance.

Still as Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe reports, his record speaks for itself:

"OK, but do you realize that David Wells, whom the Padres designated for assignment on Wednesday, and who may very well be at the end of a fascinating 20-year major league career, has won 235 games while losing 156? That's a hefty .601 winning percentage, which is better than the lifetime marks of both Catfish Hunter (224-166) and Don Drysdale ( 209-166), to name two Hall of Famers people might automatically assume were in some more exalted category than the southpaw with the shaved head, the big belly and the goatee?
Then consider that both Catfish (1965-79) and Drysdale (1956-69) played in an era when offense was suppressed and pitching reigned supreme? Not to belittle Drysdale's eye-opening career ERA of 2.95, but his entire career was spent peering down at hitters from an elevated mound. The mound was lowered to its current height after the Ultra-Pitching year of 1968 and Drysdale retired a year later. It's just a fact."

There was a funny story about Wells when he pitched for the Blue Jays. Cito Gaston was the manager. Cito goes to the mound to pull Boomer and is greeted with:"What the hell are you doing out here." In his next start, Wells is getting pummelled early, he has nothing and the scoreboard shows crooked numbers. He glares into his dugout, looking for Gaston to provide relief from the beating. Cito sits stoically arms crossed--revenge is sweet. Say what you want about David Wells, he was a character who got the job done.

Epstein takes Cashman's seat

I wrote this for Arm Chair G.M.:

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been on the hot-seat all season. A long list of critics (including yours truly) have wondered how so much money could be spent on an unbalanced roster. 200+ million produced a team with: no backup catcher, the usual suspects at first base and an embarrassingly thin bench. From Carl Pavano's opening day start to the abject failure of Kei Igawa, it's been, "A long strange trip."
Fortunately, for the sanity of the Yankee faithful, Brian has broken his slump with an Abreuesq hot streak. The roster now boasts: quality depth, youthful exuberance, live arms and yes a backup catcher. I'd like to believe this was the plan all along, but nobody's imagination is that good.
While Brian Cashman has momentarily gotten off the owner's ,"Big hook," his rival, Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein has assumed Brian's position in the pressure cooker. Theo, Boston's genius savant, the year the curse was broken hit a rough stretch last year--missing the playoffs is unacceptable. Ownership responded by spending money in a way that would make the Evil Emipre cringe. 200 million for Dice-K, iron-man J.D. Drew and iron-glove Julio Lugo. Fortunately, for Theo the Sox have had an impressive season, due in no small measure to the under-the-radar guys: Lowell, Youkilis, and Pedroia.
The spotlight has shifted back to Theo as Boston's huge 14-1/2 game lead has dwindled to a paltry 5. Should the team that Theo built lose the biggest lead in American League history, he may want to consider retiring--again.

Than I found an interesting blog, Base line Report, co-written by former Yankee 3RD baseman Mike Pagliarulo. Here's a taste:

"It is time the money players start playing, or maybe the guy who gave them the money (Theo) start to realize his boys are playing exactly the sybermetric style he bought. The problem is that this time of year is all about gut, and not; syber statistical I can show it to ownership better this way type baseball……Now is the time one leans on baseball knowledge and not OBP."

Pags went into the scouting business after retirement. He raises an interesting idea.

Baseball quotes sum up eventful day

Illustration by Ed Murawinsky/New York Daily News It was an interesting, historic day yesterday for MLB. Here's a few quotes by the participants:

• "The only thing I ever used was chewing gum."--Hammerin Hank Aaron. Well times have changed, in an era where performance enhancing drugs dominated the landscape, Barry Bonds is the king.
• "Plenty more baseball...Hell yeah, I'm not quitting."--Newly crowned homer champ Bonds (to Erin Andrews, ESPN)--Long live the king.
• "There's a lot there."--Jorge Posada. Jorge was responding to a question about the debut of hyped phenom Joba Chamberlain. Joba threw 2 shutout innings, the radar gun said 97MPH, but most impressive was a slider that fell off the table. Yup, there is a lot there.
• "We played like a football team out there."--Alex Rodriguez. The bad blood generated in May by A-Rod's dubious play was revisited. After throwing behind Alex the day before, Toronto hit him and sparks followed. It was fun to watch the intensity on the bases as Shelly Duncan made a hard, clean, aggressive slide into 2ND and A-Rod charged the plate running like he was 4TH and 1 on the goal line. It was reminiscent of the great Yankee teams of the 70's. The fact that this team is capable of controlled aggression is a good sign.
• "He didn't throw as bad as it looked."--Paul Lo Duca. The Met catcher was summing up starting pitcher, Oliver Perez's performance: 6 runs/10 hits/5 i.p. I am guessing Lo Duca is a glass half-full kind of guy.
• "The race is going to be a war. We knew coming in;it's going all the way to the end."--Paul Lo Duca. Paul was describing the pending battles in the N.L. East. Wonder if the Red Sox, in the A.L. East knew the same thing. The Yanks with a big hole in the bullpen have cut 9 1/2 games off an historic 14 1/2 game Sox lead. Records were made to be broken.

Arm Chair GM

I'll be doing some writing for another site, in addition to this one. Here's a link to an article titled: "Can the Yanks hit good pitching?"

http://www.armchairgm.com/index.php?title=Can_Yanks_hit_good_pitching%3F

Yankee hype-machine

The Yanks have a long history of hyping prospects. Recently, Bill Robinson passed away. Several decades ago Robinson was a minor league phenom that the Bombers billed as:"The next Mickey Mantle"--no pressure there. Recently, Yankee radio announcer John Sterling, while discussing the anticipated arrival of Joba Chamberlain, made comparisons to K-Rod of Anahiem and The Great Rivera. Chamberlain has never recorded an out in MLB. Suggesting he will be an impact player during a pennant race is a tad over the top. The faces change;the song remains the same.

A-Rod and Bonds

Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds have a lot in common:

• Talent--both are athletically gifted with a skill level that far exceeds their competitors.
• Multi-dimensional--put aside home runs, A-Rod was a gold-glove shortstop who converted to 3RD and is now playing elite defense at the hot corner. He is an excellent base runner who will steal a base. Bonds has won gold-gloves and has an illustrious history on the bases.
• Mentored by legends--Bonds's godfather Willie Mays is an icon. A-Rod's hero Cal Ripken a legend.
• MVP's--Bonds's career total of seven is among the most impressive feats in history. A-Rod may be the only person with a chance to compete with that gaudy number.
• Work ethic--both are legendary for their meticulous grueling workouts.
• Rings--the total is zero, A-Rod may eventually get one, Barry is done.
• Egos--the word vainglory fits both stars.

Despite their similarities, their legacy's will be markedly different. Barry Bonds made the decision to cheat. He has reaped rewards and penalties for his decision. Alex is the "Natural" as time goes on, the public will come to appreciate his accomplishments more. They will both have plaques in Cooperstown, one will have more significance than the other.

Sheffield disputes facts

The recent HBO broadcast of the show, "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" presents an interesting segment featuring the infamous Gary Sheffield. Reporter Andrea Kremer asks Gary if he ever did steroids Sheffield emphatically answers: " no never." She than refers to his leaked grand jury testimony, where he testified that he had taken: "the Clear and the Cream." Gary replies that his testimony was indeed correct that he had taken both substances. When confronted with the contradiction, he responds that the media can analyze things anyway they want but that steroids are something that: "you shoot in your butt."



The ignorance reflected in this statement speaks for itself. The fact that the show proceeds as if Sheffield has any credibility is sad. This is the same show that made headlines when Sheffield claimed Joe Torre treated 100% black players different than 50% black players. Perhaps the segment should have been titled: "Delusional, out-spoken, wealthy athlete, mangles facts and we provide soap box."

Selig works overtime

Baseball commissioner, Bud Selig is the hardest working man in show business. Months of arduous thinking, led him to the conclusion, that he should attend Barry Bonds' record setting game. Two weeks later, after going to 11 entire baseball games, Bud described his effort as: "Herculean" and mentioned that fans are: "Stunned that he is still at it."

It can't be easy traveling 1st class to sit in luxury boxes while getting paid the big bucks. In Bud's world he is the ultimate warrior--the word delusional doesn't begin to explain it.