I didn’t have the opportunity to watch many games this weekend, but I did see the exciting final of the ATP Masters Series Madrid tournament between Rafael Nadal of Spain and Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia. The match lasted nearly 4 hours and it was riveting stuff the entire time. The home crowd helped Nadal come back from 2 sets to love to win the match in a 5th set tiebreaker.
If you haven’t seen the 19 year old Spaniard play, you should try and catch his next match on television. Even if you aren’t a tennis fan, you’ll be able to appreciate this kid. Several years ago, the UMass Men’s basketball team used the slogan “Refuse to Lose” in their march to the NCAA Final Four. Rafa is the individual embodiment of this slogan. He never gives in and makes his opponent work extremely hard for the entire match. At 19, his focus on winning is incredible and that’s demonstrated by the fact that he has won 11 titles this year, equaling Roger Federer’s take.
Other young athletes should study Nadal’s performances and be inspired by his mental toughness and physical effort. Are you listening Andy Roddick? Rafa is also the most exciting on-court personality to come to tennis since Andre Agassi. American tennis fans tend to be provincial when latching onto tennis stars, but if there is anyone who can change this, it’s Rafael Nadal. If you’re interested in more info on the Spanish superstar, go to Vamos Rafael.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Monday, October 24, 2005
Another Game, Another Bad Call
Look out everyone, here come the media to bury the umpires for another bad call that led to a team losing the game. The incident occurred in the seventh inning with Jermaine Dye at bat for the White Sox with two men on base. A 3-2 pitch came high and inside, and the home plate umpire declared that the pitch hit Dye thus awarding him first base and loading the bases. Television replays showed that the ball actually hit the bat and should have been called a foul ball.
This errant call lost the game for the Astros … oh, wait a second – the score didn’t change, so how did this call blow the game for the Astros? Let’s get some perspective here. If the umpire makes the foul ball call correctly, guess what? It’s still a 3-2 count! And the way Astros pitcher DanWheeler was throwing, ball 4 was a definite possibility on the next pitch. In fact, an infinite number of things could have happened on the subsequent pitch so to say that this call blew the game for the Astros is totally ridiculous. If Astros fans want to blame anyone for the loss, blame Chad Qualls for throwing an absolute meatball to the White Sox’ most dangerous hitter, Paul Konerko. Seriously, how do you throw that pitch to that batter with the bases loaded? What was the strategy? “Let’s fool Konerko with a fastball down the heart of the plate.” Yeah, that's going to work! That was a monumental mistake pitch and to blame it on a bad call is ludicrous.
To be fair, the White Sox have been the beneficiaries of poor umpiring decisions throughout the 2005 post-season. It’s been uncanny. However, none of those calls has resulted in a change of score, and therefore the calls themselves have not won or lost anything. In each instance, a member of the White Sox executed a game changing play and Paul Konerko just happened to be that guy last night. If Chad Qualls comes in and does his job, the missed call is a footnote on this game and no one cares. Whatever your perspective is on this, be prepared for a lot of stories today declaring that this bad call won the game for the White Sox. In fact, here is one from Jeff Sullivan who totally disagrees with my view. Enjoy!
This errant call lost the game for the Astros … oh, wait a second – the score didn’t change, so how did this call blow the game for the Astros? Let’s get some perspective here. If the umpire makes the foul ball call correctly, guess what? It’s still a 3-2 count! And the way Astros pitcher DanWheeler was throwing, ball 4 was a definite possibility on the next pitch. In fact, an infinite number of things could have happened on the subsequent pitch so to say that this call blew the game for the Astros is totally ridiculous. If Astros fans want to blame anyone for the loss, blame Chad Qualls for throwing an absolute meatball to the White Sox’ most dangerous hitter, Paul Konerko. Seriously, how do you throw that pitch to that batter with the bases loaded? What was the strategy? “Let’s fool Konerko with a fastball down the heart of the plate.” Yeah, that's going to work! That was a monumental mistake pitch and to blame it on a bad call is ludicrous.
To be fair, the White Sox have been the beneficiaries of poor umpiring decisions throughout the 2005 post-season. It’s been uncanny. However, none of those calls has resulted in a change of score, and therefore the calls themselves have not won or lost anything. In each instance, a member of the White Sox executed a game changing play and Paul Konerko just happened to be that guy last night. If Chad Qualls comes in and does his job, the missed call is a footnote on this game and no one cares. Whatever your perspective is on this, be prepared for a lot of stories today declaring that this bad call won the game for the White Sox. In fact, here is one from Jeff Sullivan who totally disagrees with my view. Enjoy!
Monday, October 17, 2005
Thoughts from the weekend
Late Saturday afternoon was a sports junkie’s delight as the 4 big networks all had dramatic games. For the most part, I was riveted to USC – Notre Dame on NBC. I am not a Notre Dame fan and never have been, and the fact that they have their own TV contract with NBC only fuels my dislike. Also, I’ve become a USC fan in the last few years probably because I want to see Pete Carroll do well after what he had to endure in New England while he was the Patriots’ head coach. Now that I’ve set the table so to speak regarding my allegiances, I was quite focused on this game. Some thoughts:
· Even with the loss, Notre Dame fans have to be happy about Charlie Weis directing the football program. The ND offense looked awfully familiar to me and no one has really shut them down this season. It pains me to say it, but I think the Irish are going to be contending for national championships in the very near future.
· Matt Leinart never looked the same after he threw a block on a running play and someone fell on his back. Also, he doesn’t throw the ball with much zip. Watching his passes on Saturday reminded me of former Miami Hurricane QB Gino Torretta. Even though Torretta won a Heisman, you knew he wouldn’t make it in the NFL because he had a weak arm. He looked good at Miami because his receivers were so athletically superior to the competition that all he had to do was throw it out there and his teammates would go get it. I think the Trojans receivers are in that same category, but Leinart did place that 4th down pass perfectly to get SC into ND territory.
· There was a lot of talk about Leinart’s run for the goal line in which the ball was knocked free thus stopping the clock. The announcers, and other analysts after the game, kept saying that if the ball wasn’t knocked out of bounds that time would have run out and USC would have lost. Did anyone happen to notice where Leinart landed after he lost the ball? In the end zone!!! If he had held onto the ball, USC would have won the game.
· Reggie Bush – wow! I could not believe how fast this guy was on Saturday. He was running past DBs like they were in slow motion. Without him, USC wouldn’t have been in the game.
· Charlie Weis must love the name Brady because Brady Quinn ran his offense a lot like Tom Brady of the Patriots. Many experts thought that the Irish defense wouldn’t be able to stop the USC offense. What no one anticipated was that the Irish’s best defense was an excellent ball control offense that dominated time of possession. Who says Weis can’t coach defense?
Thoughts on other games over the weekend:
· The Penn State – Michigan ending rivaled the USC – Notre Dame one. ABC’s Bob Griese was correctly exhorting Wolverine Quarterback Chad Henne to throw the ball in the end zone as time on the clock was running out. When he finally did, it worked and Michigan pulled off the upset.
· Georgia was the latest team to help me in my quest to not have to attend a bowl game with Vanderbilt participating. The Commodores fell to 4-3 on the season and with only one potentially winnable game left on the schedule (Kentucky), they’ll probably end up 5-6 and out of bowl contention again.
· If Chicago ends up celebrating a World Series victory this fall, I’m glad it will be for the White Sox and not the Cubs. I wonder if 80% of the city will be pissed off because the team from the South Side won it. First 1918, and now possibly 1917. Is 1908 next?
· The end of regulation of Giants-Cowboys was just as exciting as the previous day’s college football endings.
· I’m hoping that the Astros beat the Cardinals in the NLCS. That franchise has been close to the World Series a few times and it would be nice to see their pitching staff match up with the White Sox pitchers. Also, I don’t like the Cardinals and I think their pitching is overrated. They were totally overmatched in last year’s World Series and I think the same will happen this year if they make it.
· Even with the loss, Notre Dame fans have to be happy about Charlie Weis directing the football program. The ND offense looked awfully familiar to me and no one has really shut them down this season. It pains me to say it, but I think the Irish are going to be contending for national championships in the very near future.
· Matt Leinart never looked the same after he threw a block on a running play and someone fell on his back. Also, he doesn’t throw the ball with much zip. Watching his passes on Saturday reminded me of former Miami Hurricane QB Gino Torretta. Even though Torretta won a Heisman, you knew he wouldn’t make it in the NFL because he had a weak arm. He looked good at Miami because his receivers were so athletically superior to the competition that all he had to do was throw it out there and his teammates would go get it. I think the Trojans receivers are in that same category, but Leinart did place that 4th down pass perfectly to get SC into ND territory.
· There was a lot of talk about Leinart’s run for the goal line in which the ball was knocked free thus stopping the clock. The announcers, and other analysts after the game, kept saying that if the ball wasn’t knocked out of bounds that time would have run out and USC would have lost. Did anyone happen to notice where Leinart landed after he lost the ball? In the end zone!!! If he had held onto the ball, USC would have won the game.
· Reggie Bush – wow! I could not believe how fast this guy was on Saturday. He was running past DBs like they were in slow motion. Without him, USC wouldn’t have been in the game.
· Charlie Weis must love the name Brady because Brady Quinn ran his offense a lot like Tom Brady of the Patriots. Many experts thought that the Irish defense wouldn’t be able to stop the USC offense. What no one anticipated was that the Irish’s best defense was an excellent ball control offense that dominated time of possession. Who says Weis can’t coach defense?
Thoughts on other games over the weekend:
· The Penn State – Michigan ending rivaled the USC – Notre Dame one. ABC’s Bob Griese was correctly exhorting Wolverine Quarterback Chad Henne to throw the ball in the end zone as time on the clock was running out. When he finally did, it worked and Michigan pulled off the upset.
· Georgia was the latest team to help me in my quest to not have to attend a bowl game with Vanderbilt participating. The Commodores fell to 4-3 on the season and with only one potentially winnable game left on the schedule (Kentucky), they’ll probably end up 5-6 and out of bowl contention again.
· If Chicago ends up celebrating a World Series victory this fall, I’m glad it will be for the White Sox and not the Cubs. I wonder if 80% of the city will be pissed off because the team from the South Side won it. First 1918, and now possibly 1917. Is 1908 next?
· The end of regulation of Giants-Cowboys was just as exciting as the previous day’s college football endings.
· I’m hoping that the Astros beat the Cardinals in the NLCS. That franchise has been close to the World Series a few times and it would be nice to see their pitching staff match up with the White Sox pitchers. Also, I don’t like the Cardinals and I think their pitching is overrated. They were totally overmatched in last year’s World Series and I think the same will happen this year if they make it.
Friday, October 14, 2005
Mel and The Strike
Mel
Earlier this week, in what may be the beginning of a slew of changes, Mel Stottlemyre resigned from his position as pitching coach of the New York Yankees. Citing the difficulty of pleasing two sets of masters, New York and Tampa, the classy pitching coach felt that he had tolerated enough and just didn’t want to go through the pain any longer. I don’t blame him at all. It has to be extremely frustrating to deal with criticism from an irrational and ignorant owner who feels the need to involve himself at every level of the organization.
Will Joe Torre be the next to go? He has stated that this has been the toughest season that he has endured with regard to Mr. Steinbrenner. Arguably, the 2005 campaign was Torre’s finest as he managed the team to 95 wins with a make-shift pitching staff. Yet, there is a lack of acknowledgement of that accomplishment from Tampa. Certainly, Mr. Steinbrenner shouldn’t be happy that he invested over $200 million in payroll this season only to see a first round exit in the playoffs. However, there is not a direct correlation between dollars invested and winning. In whom one invests the dollars is the critical piece of the puzzle, and increasingly one that the Yankees seem to be getting wrong.
I can’t say for certain who is to blame for the big spending on free agents that haven’t completely worked out in NY. If it weren’t for the low-priced talent on the team (see Small, Cano, Chacon, Wang), this team would have been a total bust this year. Is Mr. Steinbrenner too involved in the process to the point that he overrules his “baseball” people and simply does what he wants based on his own whims? I think most people would answer “yes” to that question. And if the answer is “yes”, then what would you do if you’re Brian Cashman? On the one hand, being the General Manager of the New York Yankees has to be one of the dream jobs in Major League Baseball. On the other hand, reporting to Mr. Steinbrenner has to be one of the nightmare jobs in Major League Baseball. It wouldn’t surprise me if Cashman doesn’t return after his contract expires, and I hope for his sake that it is of his own volition. When allowed to do his job, I think he has done well. However, in the past few years, it appears to me that he has become increasingly handcuffed in his role. That has to be tremendously frustrating.
The change that I would like to see this off-season is one that won’t happen: a change in ownership.
The Strike
Home plate umpire Doug Eddings certainly got himself in hot water the other night in the 9th inning of Game 2 of the ALCS. It seems to me that there were two mistakes by the umpire on the play. The first is the dispute over whether the catcher caught the ball cleanly or not. From television replays, it appears that Angels catcher Josh Paul did catch the ball cleanly. However, I did see the change in direction that the umpiring crew cited as justification for the call. What we don’t know is if that was because the ball hit the ground or if it hit the top of the glove and then moved into the pocket.
Nevertheless, the second mistake was the more egregious. Eddings extended his right arm to indicate that the batter had swung at the pitch. He paused for a moment and then brought up his right arm and made a fist to indicate the batter was out. If the ball was still in play, he should not have made the second gesture and this is what I believe has the Angels incensed over the call. The explanations by the umpiring crew appear pathetic in light of the video evidence.
I’m not crying for the Angels though. In my opinion, they were the benefactors of a dubious call in Game 5 versus the Yankees when Robinson Cano was called out for running outside of the baseline. Perhaps bad calls do even out and this is simply “baseball justice”.
Some media members (Dan Shaughnessy) are saying that this call casts a shadow over the entire series. That seems a bit melodramatic to me. If Joe Crede strikes out, this blown call becomes trivial. Certainly the White Sox took advantage of the mistake to win the game, but the mistake didn’t win the game on its own. Crede still had to execute in the same manner that Tadahito Iguchi had to execute after Tony Graffanino’s error.
Earlier this week, in what may be the beginning of a slew of changes, Mel Stottlemyre resigned from his position as pitching coach of the New York Yankees. Citing the difficulty of pleasing two sets of masters, New York and Tampa, the classy pitching coach felt that he had tolerated enough and just didn’t want to go through the pain any longer. I don’t blame him at all. It has to be extremely frustrating to deal with criticism from an irrational and ignorant owner who feels the need to involve himself at every level of the organization.
Will Joe Torre be the next to go? He has stated that this has been the toughest season that he has endured with regard to Mr. Steinbrenner. Arguably, the 2005 campaign was Torre’s finest as he managed the team to 95 wins with a make-shift pitching staff. Yet, there is a lack of acknowledgement of that accomplishment from Tampa. Certainly, Mr. Steinbrenner shouldn’t be happy that he invested over $200 million in payroll this season only to see a first round exit in the playoffs. However, there is not a direct correlation between dollars invested and winning. In whom one invests the dollars is the critical piece of the puzzle, and increasingly one that the Yankees seem to be getting wrong.
I can’t say for certain who is to blame for the big spending on free agents that haven’t completely worked out in NY. If it weren’t for the low-priced talent on the team (see Small, Cano, Chacon, Wang), this team would have been a total bust this year. Is Mr. Steinbrenner too involved in the process to the point that he overrules his “baseball” people and simply does what he wants based on his own whims? I think most people would answer “yes” to that question. And if the answer is “yes”, then what would you do if you’re Brian Cashman? On the one hand, being the General Manager of the New York Yankees has to be one of the dream jobs in Major League Baseball. On the other hand, reporting to Mr. Steinbrenner has to be one of the nightmare jobs in Major League Baseball. It wouldn’t surprise me if Cashman doesn’t return after his contract expires, and I hope for his sake that it is of his own volition. When allowed to do his job, I think he has done well. However, in the past few years, it appears to me that he has become increasingly handcuffed in his role. That has to be tremendously frustrating.
The change that I would like to see this off-season is one that won’t happen: a change in ownership.
The Strike
Home plate umpire Doug Eddings certainly got himself in hot water the other night in the 9th inning of Game 2 of the ALCS. It seems to me that there were two mistakes by the umpire on the play. The first is the dispute over whether the catcher caught the ball cleanly or not. From television replays, it appears that Angels catcher Josh Paul did catch the ball cleanly. However, I did see the change in direction that the umpiring crew cited as justification for the call. What we don’t know is if that was because the ball hit the ground or if it hit the top of the glove and then moved into the pocket.
Nevertheless, the second mistake was the more egregious. Eddings extended his right arm to indicate that the batter had swung at the pitch. He paused for a moment and then brought up his right arm and made a fist to indicate the batter was out. If the ball was still in play, he should not have made the second gesture and this is what I believe has the Angels incensed over the call. The explanations by the umpiring crew appear pathetic in light of the video evidence.
I’m not crying for the Angels though. In my opinion, they were the benefactors of a dubious call in Game 5 versus the Yankees when Robinson Cano was called out for running outside of the baseline. Perhaps bad calls do even out and this is simply “baseball justice”.
Some media members (Dan Shaughnessy) are saying that this call casts a shadow over the entire series. That seems a bit melodramatic to me. If Joe Crede strikes out, this blown call becomes trivial. Certainly the White Sox took advantage of the mistake to win the game, but the mistake didn’t win the game on its own. Crede still had to execute in the same manner that Tadahito Iguchi had to execute after Tony Graffanino’s error.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Random Dispatches
Some random dispatches from behind enemy lines as I listen to the Canadiens on cjad.com:
· I caught about 20 minutes of the Big Show on WEEI this afternoon. Today’s guest hosts were Steve Burton and Butch Stearns who are easily the dumbest sports media members in Boston. When Burton is on the show, the only portion of the program worth listening to is the Whiner Line in the hope that he will laugh so hard that he’ll squawk like a bird.
· It seems like the majority of the country isn’t too upset that Red Sox – Yankees III isn’t happening this year. I can’t say I blame them. Both sets of fans are totally obnoxious and insufferable, and could use a winter of humility.
· I’m rooting for the White Sox against the Angels because I like the whole 1917 angle. However, Ozzie Guillen’s managerial style worries me. Mike Scioscia could easily outmanage him in the ALCS. Guillen has to hope that his players don’t put him in a position where a decision is required.
· Is anyone watching the NHL on OLN?
· I’m having trouble getting used to Jack Edwards as the Bruins’ road announcer. I think he is decent at hockey play-by-play, but there’s something intangible about his style that throws me off. I miss Dave Shea on those broadcasts and I think he and Andy Brickley had a nice flow. I’m sure Edwards and Brickley will make a fine team eventually.
· One more NHL note: I like the new rules/style. I’ve always been a fan of the European brand of hockey and I think the rule changes give the game a much better flow. Let’s see how long the refs continue to uphold the changes.
· I watched a bit of my alma mater, Vanderbilt, against LSU on Saturday night in an SEC football match-up. It’s no secret that Vandy is embarrassingly awful in football, yet the team got off to a 4-0 start this season, which was the school’s best start since 1984. A loss to Middle Tennessee State University (I didn’t even know they had football) sobered everyone up a bit. LSU continued Vandy’s return to normalcy with a 34-6 pasting. It looks like the streak of losing seasons since 1982 is safe.
· I know everyone in New England hates Joe Buck, but I think he’s one of the best baseball broadcasters out there. However, I won’t defend Tim McCarver.
· I caught about 20 minutes of the Big Show on WEEI this afternoon. Today’s guest hosts were Steve Burton and Butch Stearns who are easily the dumbest sports media members in Boston. When Burton is on the show, the only portion of the program worth listening to is the Whiner Line in the hope that he will laugh so hard that he’ll squawk like a bird.
· It seems like the majority of the country isn’t too upset that Red Sox – Yankees III isn’t happening this year. I can’t say I blame them. Both sets of fans are totally obnoxious and insufferable, and could use a winter of humility.
· I’m rooting for the White Sox against the Angels because I like the whole 1917 angle. However, Ozzie Guillen’s managerial style worries me. Mike Scioscia could easily outmanage him in the ALCS. Guillen has to hope that his players don’t put him in a position where a decision is required.
· Is anyone watching the NHL on OLN?
· I’m having trouble getting used to Jack Edwards as the Bruins’ road announcer. I think he is decent at hockey play-by-play, but there’s something intangible about his style that throws me off. I miss Dave Shea on those broadcasts and I think he and Andy Brickley had a nice flow. I’m sure Edwards and Brickley will make a fine team eventually.
· One more NHL note: I like the new rules/style. I’ve always been a fan of the European brand of hockey and I think the rule changes give the game a much better flow. Let’s see how long the refs continue to uphold the changes.
· I watched a bit of my alma mater, Vanderbilt, against LSU on Saturday night in an SEC football match-up. It’s no secret that Vandy is embarrassingly awful in football, yet the team got off to a 4-0 start this season, which was the school’s best start since 1984. A loss to Middle Tennessee State University (I didn’t even know they had football) sobered everyone up a bit. LSU continued Vandy’s return to normalcy with a 34-6 pasting. It looks like the streak of losing seasons since 1982 is safe.
· I know everyone in New England hates Joe Buck, but I think he’s one of the best baseball broadcasters out there. However, I won’t defend Tim McCarver.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Wait Till Next Year - 2
And so it ends. The 2005 Yankee season came to an end last night amidst a series of mental errors and general futility at the plate in RBI situations. A marginal call from home plate umpire Joe West on Robinson Cano didn’t help matters either. The Angels, to their credit, played winning baseball and were the deserving winners of this series. Under manager Mike Scioscia, Angels baseball has come to mean grinding out victories through timely hitting, good defense and good pitching. All three of those aspects were in evidence last night as the Angels overcame the loss of Bartolo Colon and an early 2-0 deficit.
In retrospect, the early departure of Colon may have been the best thing to happen to the Angels on the night as he clearly didn’t have his best stuff. Ervin Sanchez came in and was shaky at first, but managed to wriggle out of the inning with only 2 runs surrendered, thanks in part to Yankee cooperation. Sanchez’s mates came back in the bottom of the inning to put 3 runs on the board and change the course of the game. The Fox broadcasting crew correctly identified the collision between Bubba Crosby and Gary Sheffield on Adam Kennedy’s fly ball as the turning point in the game from a feel perspective. The game felt like an Angels victory from then on and the Yankees never recovered from squandering the lead.
Reminiscent of games 4 through 7 of the 2004 ALCS versus Boston, the trio of Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui was AWOL in terms of run production in this series. The three sluggers combined for only 3 RBIs in the series. In contrast, both Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano had 5 RBIs each.
As I stated yesterday, losing this series is a huge disappointment and Joe Torre echoed that sentiment after the game stating that this was tougher than last year’s loss to the Red Sox. And as the season ends, so begins another off-season with more than the usual questions. Will Brian Cashman be back? Will Torre continue to manage this team? What to do with the pitching staff?
A further thought on Derek Jeter: is there any doubt now about who you would want to start a team with? A few years ago, the debate in these parts was, who’s better, Nomar or Jeter? Occasionally, someone would throw A-Rod in the mix of the conversation. My answer then and now is Derek Jeter. Of the three, he is the only obvious team leader type and he has been a consistent clutch performer in the post-season. Last night was a typical performance for the Yankee captain. He hit a home run in the 7th to close the gap to 2 runs and then led off the 9th with a single. Contrast that with Rodriguez’s performance last night and the fact that Garciaparra is toiling in relative obscurity for the Cubs, and you have your answer.
Note: With the Yankees out of the playoffs, I’ll start addressing other sports issues in the coming days.
In retrospect, the early departure of Colon may have been the best thing to happen to the Angels on the night as he clearly didn’t have his best stuff. Ervin Sanchez came in and was shaky at first, but managed to wriggle out of the inning with only 2 runs surrendered, thanks in part to Yankee cooperation. Sanchez’s mates came back in the bottom of the inning to put 3 runs on the board and change the course of the game. The Fox broadcasting crew correctly identified the collision between Bubba Crosby and Gary Sheffield on Adam Kennedy’s fly ball as the turning point in the game from a feel perspective. The game felt like an Angels victory from then on and the Yankees never recovered from squandering the lead.
Reminiscent of games 4 through 7 of the 2004 ALCS versus Boston, the trio of Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui was AWOL in terms of run production in this series. The three sluggers combined for only 3 RBIs in the series. In contrast, both Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano had 5 RBIs each.
As I stated yesterday, losing this series is a huge disappointment and Joe Torre echoed that sentiment after the game stating that this was tougher than last year’s loss to the Red Sox. And as the season ends, so begins another off-season with more than the usual questions. Will Brian Cashman be back? Will Torre continue to manage this team? What to do with the pitching staff?
A further thought on Derek Jeter: is there any doubt now about who you would want to start a team with? A few years ago, the debate in these parts was, who’s better, Nomar or Jeter? Occasionally, someone would throw A-Rod in the mix of the conversation. My answer then and now is Derek Jeter. Of the three, he is the only obvious team leader type and he has been a consistent clutch performer in the post-season. Last night was a typical performance for the Yankee captain. He hit a home run in the 7th to close the gap to 2 runs and then led off the 9th with a single. Contrast that with Rodriguez’s performance last night and the fact that Garciaparra is toiling in relative obscurity for the Cubs, and you have your answer.
Note: With the Yankees out of the playoffs, I’ll start addressing other sports issues in the coming days.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Shawn Chacon and Game Five
With the Yankee season on the brink of extinction for 2005, Shawn Chacon pitched brilliantly and enabled the Bombers to come from behind and force a deciding game in California today. As I stated in an earlier post, Chacon has to be on the short list of Yankee MVP candidates this year and his performance last night solidified his worth to this team. He limited the Angels to 2 runs over 6 1/3 innings and kept the Yankees in the ballgame versus John Lackey, who was also pitching quite well on 3 days rest.
In order to win the game, the Yanks were faced with the challenge of beating the vaunted Angels bullpen, and with elimination staring them in the face, they were able to do it. Mariano Rivera came in to save the game with an efficient two inning performance and has declared himself ready to go two more innings tonight, if needed.
Tonight’s deciding game features a re-match of Game 1 starters, Mike Mussina and Bartolo Colon. My worry with Mussina is can he keep this Angels lineup off-balance for the second time within a week? With his style of pitching, I’m concerned that the Angels will benefit from the fact that they just faced Mussina 6 days ago. If Mussina isn’t effective, we know that Joe Torre won’t wait long to go to the bullpen (2003 ALCS – Game 7). Is Randy Johnson the first man out of the pen? Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.
It’s stating the obvious, but for several reasons, the Yankees need to win tonight. With the way the Yankees played to get into the playoffs, it would be a huge disappointment if the season ended today. Playing their best ball of the season is exactly the way you want to go into the Division Series, and for it to fall apart after that is going to be disturbing for the entire organization and the fans. The justification for a $200 million payroll and pre-season expectations won’t be satisfied with a first round exit.
Playing the Angels first was a tough draw as LA may be their bogey team. However, this team has been playing must-win games since the beginning of September, and tonight is a chance for them to keep this year’s dream alive.
In order to win the game, the Yanks were faced with the challenge of beating the vaunted Angels bullpen, and with elimination staring them in the face, they were able to do it. Mariano Rivera came in to save the game with an efficient two inning performance and has declared himself ready to go two more innings tonight, if needed.
Tonight’s deciding game features a re-match of Game 1 starters, Mike Mussina and Bartolo Colon. My worry with Mussina is can he keep this Angels lineup off-balance for the second time within a week? With his style of pitching, I’m concerned that the Angels will benefit from the fact that they just faced Mussina 6 days ago. If Mussina isn’t effective, we know that Joe Torre won’t wait long to go to the bullpen (2003 ALCS – Game 7). Is Randy Johnson the first man out of the pen? Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.
It’s stating the obvious, but for several reasons, the Yankees need to win tonight. With the way the Yankees played to get into the playoffs, it would be a huge disappointment if the season ended today. Playing their best ball of the season is exactly the way you want to go into the Division Series, and for it to fall apart after that is going to be disturbing for the entire organization and the fans. The justification for a $200 million payroll and pre-season expectations won’t be satisfied with a first round exit.
Playing the Angels first was a tough draw as LA may be their bogey team. However, this team has been playing must-win games since the beginning of September, and tonight is a chance for them to keep this year’s dream alive.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Wait Till Next Year
The Red Sox season ended last night and the Yankees’ playoff run is spiraling downward as well. In the end, the vaunted Red Sox offense couldn’t sustain any momentum in this series and cover for the starting pitching woes. Chicago had the look of a team of destiny with Orlando Hernandez escaping a bases loaded, no outs jam in the sixth. I guess I can stop wondering if this team is for real as they played superior baseball in this series against an overmatched and very tired looking Red Sox team. The ninth inning suicide squeeze was the finishing touch on this series and may have shown us that a 3-0 sweep was the only logical conclusion. If Boston had any thoughts of coming back in the bottom half of the inning, they went out the window after that 5th run was scored.
Now Ozzie Guillen and crew can sit back and watch the Angels and Yankees slug it out in the Bronx rain. As for last night’s Yanks – Angels game, I didn’t get to see much of it, but when I tuned in, it was 7-6 Angels and NY pitching was hemorrhaging. The Bombers needed a strong start from Randy Johnson and by all indications, they didn’t get it. However, give the Angels credit. They seem to know how to play New York and the hostile atmosphere of Yankee Stadium clearly does not intimidate them. The Yankees came into this series playing their best ball of the season, but if they lose this series, that will be little consolation to Big George. Shawn Chacon gets the ball today (weather permitting) in an elimination game for his team. Rescued from the rubbish bin of Colorado, Chacon has been one of the best starters on this team since his acquisition and he has a chance to prove his worth beyond any doubt.
Regardless of what happens to the Yankees in the post-season, it’s going to be an interesting off-season for both Boston and New York as the cast of characters may change drastically.
Now Ozzie Guillen and crew can sit back and watch the Angels and Yankees slug it out in the Bronx rain. As for last night’s Yanks – Angels game, I didn’t get to see much of it, but when I tuned in, it was 7-6 Angels and NY pitching was hemorrhaging. The Bombers needed a strong start from Randy Johnson and by all indications, they didn’t get it. However, give the Angels credit. They seem to know how to play New York and the hostile atmosphere of Yankee Stadium clearly does not intimidate them. The Yankees came into this series playing their best ball of the season, but if they lose this series, that will be little consolation to Big George. Shawn Chacon gets the ball today (weather permitting) in an elimination game for his team. Rescued from the rubbish bin of Colorado, Chacon has been one of the best starters on this team since his acquisition and he has a chance to prove his worth beyond any doubt.
Regardless of what happens to the Yankees in the post-season, it’s going to be an interesting off-season for both Boston and New York as the cast of characters may change drastically.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Resigned to Defeat?
I had many discussions yesterday with Red Sox fans about the state of their team in the Division Series versus the White Sox. The predominant feeling was one of resignation that this team can’t win it this year. No one talked about winning the next 2 games and putting the pressure back on Chicago. Some people had even emotionally divested themselves from the series altogether. Granted, this team doesn’t have the pitching nor magic of last year’s team, but that didn’t stop some of the crazies around here pre-2004.
To me it seems that this is a new page in the emotional history of the Boston Red Sox. Last year’s World Series triumph has transformed Sox fans this year so that they seem able to accept defeat without the usual levels of frustration. It’s as if they are still basking in the glow of October 2004 and not even a first round exit is going to ruin that.
I guess this reaction is somewhat natural. In recent years, it seemed as if there was more focus than ever on the Red Sox and their World Series futility, and when it finally ended, the region had a collective sigh of relief. But how long will this satisfaction with one World Series title last? I’m very curious about that.
For me, the downside of this is it’s not as fun when the Red Sox lose because people don’t seem to be taking it to heart as much. Normally after a Sox loss, I can’t wait to see how Dan Shaughnessy will twist it, how sports radio callers will react and how co-workers will vent. It really is a sick sense of joy, but these days it’s muted. Shaughnessy is still doing his best to keep me entertained, but the fans are ruining my October. Here’s to hoping that Red Sox fans get back to their irrational selves very soon.
To me it seems that this is a new page in the emotional history of the Boston Red Sox. Last year’s World Series triumph has transformed Sox fans this year so that they seem able to accept defeat without the usual levels of frustration. It’s as if they are still basking in the glow of October 2004 and not even a first round exit is going to ruin that.
I guess this reaction is somewhat natural. In recent years, it seemed as if there was more focus than ever on the Red Sox and their World Series futility, and when it finally ended, the region had a collective sigh of relief. But how long will this satisfaction with one World Series title last? I’m very curious about that.
For me, the downside of this is it’s not as fun when the Red Sox lose because people don’t seem to be taking it to heart as much. Normally after a Sox loss, I can’t wait to see how Dan Shaughnessy will twist it, how sports radio callers will react and how co-workers will vent. It really is a sick sense of joy, but these days it’s muted. Shaughnessy is still doing his best to keep me entertained, but the fans are ruining my October. Here’s to hoping that Red Sox fans get back to their irrational selves very soon.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
1-1 and 0-2
Yesterday was a tough day for the Yankees and Red Sox as both teams went down to defeat in the wake of errors. I only watched the first 3 or 4 innings of the Yanks-Angels game, so I didn’t see Alex Rodriguez’s error, but from what I read this morning, it had an impact on the outcome. However, I did watch the Sox game and I feel bad for Tony Graffanino. He’s been very solid for Boston this season and I hope that he is spared the vitriol of the local fandom. He’s made everyone around here forget about the 2nd base problems of the last few years. Since today is an off-day, a lot of the local talk could be focused on his error.
Can you imagine how much Dan Shaughnessy would be enjoying this if the Sox hadn’t won the World Series last year? Graffanino and the Bambino? He could have added a new chapter to his signature work.
Yesterday’s loss was more in character with pre-2004 Red Sox history. Maybe this team doesn’t have it. However, Chicago still has one more game to win before they prove themselves worthy conquerors. I would be impressed if they win it in Boston, but I’m fully expecting a Game 5 in Chicago.
As for the Yankees, they got what they needed out of their trip to Anaheim. Of course, when you win Game 1, you certainly want to keep the momentum going by winning Game 2. Although the manner in which Game 2 was lost was frustrating, Yankee fans can take solace in Randy Johnson and his record at the Stadium (11-2, I think). I could be wrong, but I still don’t think this Angels team has the look of a winner.
On a side note, it was nice to see my favorite hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens, back in action and beating their old friends, the Bruins. The Canadiens may not be Cup contenders this year, but the outlook for the next few years is good.
Can you imagine how much Dan Shaughnessy would be enjoying this if the Sox hadn’t won the World Series last year? Graffanino and the Bambino? He could have added a new chapter to his signature work.
Yesterday’s loss was more in character with pre-2004 Red Sox history. Maybe this team doesn’t have it. However, Chicago still has one more game to win before they prove themselves worthy conquerors. I would be impressed if they win it in Boston, but I’m fully expecting a Game 5 in Chicago.
As for the Yankees, they got what they needed out of their trip to Anaheim. Of course, when you win Game 1, you certainly want to keep the momentum going by winning Game 2. Although the manner in which Game 2 was lost was frustrating, Yankee fans can take solace in Randy Johnson and his record at the Stadium (11-2, I think). I could be wrong, but I still don’t think this Angels team has the look of a winner.
On a side note, it was nice to see my favorite hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens, back in action and beating their old friends, the Bruins. The Canadiens may not be Cup contenders this year, but the outlook for the next few years is good.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
MVP?
David Ortiz or Alex Rodriguez? There’s been a lot of debate lately about who deserves the Most Valuable Player award in the American League and why each candidate should win. The nebulous criteria for selecting the recipient only fuel the debate.
What does the word valuable mean in the context of baseball? Is it simply about statistics or do wins and losses matter? Writing for Boston Sports Review, Bob Halloran believes that the former is all that matters, and under that pre-text, Alex Rodriguez is your AL MVP.
Now, I’m a Yankee fan and I guess I should be pleased that Halloran believes in A-Rod so strongly. However, I think the MVP should be judged beyond statistics and should be evaluated against the team’s bottom line, which in baseball terms is “wins”. While Rodriguez had a great year offensively and defensively, I think you could argue that Mariano Rivera, Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon all had a greater effect on the Yankees’ win-loss record this season. If you substitute Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano for Small and Chacon, we’re not talking playoffs today. Additionally, Rivera’s accomplishments this season are especially important when you look at the lack of closing talent around the league (Boston for example). So if A-Rod isn’t even my Yankee MVP, he certainly can’t be my AL MVP. Without discussing the merits of other players, I have no problem with David Ortiz being named the 2005 Most Valuable Player in the American League.
What does the word valuable mean in the context of baseball? Is it simply about statistics or do wins and losses matter? Writing for Boston Sports Review, Bob Halloran believes that the former is all that matters, and under that pre-text, Alex Rodriguez is your AL MVP.
Now, I’m a Yankee fan and I guess I should be pleased that Halloran believes in A-Rod so strongly. However, I think the MVP should be judged beyond statistics and should be evaluated against the team’s bottom line, which in baseball terms is “wins”. While Rodriguez had a great year offensively and defensively, I think you could argue that Mariano Rivera, Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon all had a greater effect on the Yankees’ win-loss record this season. If you substitute Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano for Small and Chacon, we’re not talking playoffs today. Additionally, Rivera’s accomplishments this season are especially important when you look at the lack of closing talent around the league (Boston for example). So if A-Rod isn’t even my Yankee MVP, he certainly can’t be my AL MVP. Without discussing the merits of other players, I have no problem with David Ortiz being named the 2005 Most Valuable Player in the American League.
Mussina Looks Good
Yankee fans had to be pleased (and relieved) with the effort of Mike Mussina last night. In a rotation full of question marks, it was comforting, for one evening at least, to have one of those questions removed. Last night’s result puts the Angels in a tough spot with Randy Johnson lurking in Game 3 in New York. John Lackey pitched in some big games for the Angels in 2002, but I get the sense that this Angels team doesn’t have the aura of the ’02 version. Like Butch Stearns says, it’s just a feeling.
Question number 2 (Chien-Ming Wang) is on the mound tonight for the Yanks and it remains to be seen how he will perform in a pressure situation. He did pitch on Armageddon Weekend (my hyperbolic name for last weekend’s anti-climactic series) versus the Red Sox and he did OK. A good effort tonight will certainly be a confidence boost for all involved.
Although the pitching is always a concern this year, one thing I like about this edition of the Yankees is that they are playing their best ball coming into the playoffs. You couldn’t say that in past years, most notably 2001. The team looked perfectly at ease last night in LA/Anaheim probably because they have been playing must-win games for at least 3 weeks. Here’s hoping that they can keep it up.
A couple of other thoughts re: Sox v. Sox:
I stated a couple of days ago that I thought the White Sox were frauds. That statement looks hollow after yesterday’s walloping. Jose Contreras looked very solid in Game 1 and I found that surprising. He has been hot in the second half of the season so maybe he’s turned a corner. That would be a nice story based on what he has been through to get to this point in his career.
However, I’m not ready to back off my earlier statements yet. I think Boston can still win this series, but they really need a starter to step up and go some solid innings. I’m sure David Wells will do his best. With that being said, I’m rooting for Chicago. I want no part of Boston-NY III.
Question number 2 (Chien-Ming Wang) is on the mound tonight for the Yanks and it remains to be seen how he will perform in a pressure situation. He did pitch on Armageddon Weekend (my hyperbolic name for last weekend’s anti-climactic series) versus the Red Sox and he did OK. A good effort tonight will certainly be a confidence boost for all involved.
Although the pitching is always a concern this year, one thing I like about this edition of the Yankees is that they are playing their best ball coming into the playoffs. You couldn’t say that in past years, most notably 2001. The team looked perfectly at ease last night in LA/Anaheim probably because they have been playing must-win games for at least 3 weeks. Here’s hoping that they can keep it up.
A couple of other thoughts re: Sox v. Sox:
I stated a couple of days ago that I thought the White Sox were frauds. That statement looks hollow after yesterday’s walloping. Jose Contreras looked very solid in Game 1 and I found that surprising. He has been hot in the second half of the season so maybe he’s turned a corner. That would be a nice story based on what he has been through to get to this point in his career.
However, I’m not ready to back off my earlier statements yet. I think Boston can still win this series, but they really need a starter to step up and go some solid innings. I’m sure David Wells will do his best. With that being said, I’m rooting for Chicago. I want no part of Boston-NY III.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Sox v. Sox - Game 1
I didn’t catch much of today’s Sox v. Sox matchup, but here are a few tidbits:
· I heard the 4th inning on the radio with Joe Castiglione and Jerry Trupiano. Both men expressed surprise that Matt Clement came out to start the bottom of the 4th. As it turned out, their surprise was justified as Clement gave back the 2 runs that Boston had scored in the top of the inning.
· On ESPN, not a lot of flow between Chris Berman, Rick Sutcliffe and Mike Piazza. However, I though Piazza did a decent job. He spoke up a lot and I thought his contributions were valuable. As for Berman, I think he is at his worst doing baseball play-by-play. He’s borderline un-watchable. The fact that it became a blowout made it easier for me to tolerate him. NFL Primetime seems to be his forte.
· Clement’s poor start is exactly what Boston didn’t need. Their starters have been shaky for the last 2 to 3 weeks and today did nothing to reverse that trend. Wells will have to be sharp tomorrow, and he’s the perfect guy to start after a big loss. He’s a big game pitcher and he has the talent to shut down Chicago.Chicago has to hope that they didn’t waste all of their hits today, ala the Yankees in last year’s ALCS in the 19-8 win.
· I heard the 4th inning on the radio with Joe Castiglione and Jerry Trupiano. Both men expressed surprise that Matt Clement came out to start the bottom of the 4th. As it turned out, their surprise was justified as Clement gave back the 2 runs that Boston had scored in the top of the inning.
· On ESPN, not a lot of flow between Chris Berman, Rick Sutcliffe and Mike Piazza. However, I though Piazza did a decent job. He spoke up a lot and I thought his contributions were valuable. As for Berman, I think he is at his worst doing baseball play-by-play. He’s borderline un-watchable. The fact that it became a blowout made it easier for me to tolerate him. NFL Primetime seems to be his forte.
· Clement’s poor start is exactly what Boston didn’t need. Their starters have been shaky for the last 2 to 3 weeks and today did nothing to reverse that trend. Wells will have to be sharp tomorrow, and he’s the perfect guy to start after a big loss. He’s a big game pitcher and he has the talent to shut down Chicago.Chicago has to hope that they didn’t waste all of their hits today, ala the Yankees in last year’s ALCS in the 19-8 win.
Adams and Sarandis
With Ted Sarandis moving on from WEEI, there seems to be some momentum behind filling the position with interim fill-in Mike Adams. Personally, I don’t find Adams to be an appealing replacement. I was not a fan of his work at NECN and I absolutely detest his performances on The Big Show where 9 out of every 10 comments that he makes are totally inane. I haven’t listened to him host any shows on WEEI on his own, so I can’t judge him there. Perhaps he is better in that role, but I’m skeptical.
With all of that being said, I was never a fan of Sarandis either. While he certainly differed from the other hosts at the station in terms of style, he could be equally abrasive to callers especially when they didn’t agree with him. Sarandis also didn’t have a firm grasp of reality on the role of college sports in a pro sports town like Boston, and I found his preaching on that topic to be tiresome. BC will never get the attention that a school like the University of Tennessee will receive because of the existence of pro sports in Boston. The University of Tennessee receives so much attention because there are precisely no pro sports in Knoxville. I can’t think of a major city in America with pro sports that supports college athletics in the way Sarandis wants Boston to support them.
I guess the bottom line is I don’t listen to WEEI in the evening, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon.
With all of that being said, I was never a fan of Sarandis either. While he certainly differed from the other hosts at the station in terms of style, he could be equally abrasive to callers especially when they didn’t agree with him. Sarandis also didn’t have a firm grasp of reality on the role of college sports in a pro sports town like Boston, and I found his preaching on that topic to be tiresome. BC will never get the attention that a school like the University of Tennessee will receive because of the existence of pro sports in Boston. The University of Tennessee receives so much attention because there are precisely no pro sports in Knoxville. I can’t think of a major city in America with pro sports that supports college athletics in the way Sarandis wants Boston to support them.
I guess the bottom line is I don’t listen to WEEI in the evening, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon.
Monday, October 03, 2005
The Weekend is Over
The apocalyptic weekend series between the Sox and the Yankees didn’t turn out to be as momentous as anticipated, mainly due to the collapse of the Indians. Both teams were able to celebrate playoff berths in MLB’s World Series tournament courtesy of the staggering Tribe.
So who wants to see Yankees – Red Sox III? Not I. I was having this discussion with my neighbor in the office, and I asserted that if you want to win a tournament, it’s best to take the path of least resistance, and to me, that means “not through Boston”. While the Sox aren’t the magical team they were last season, they seem to raise their level when it comes to dueling the Yanks. Also, I have no personal sense of avenging last year’s defeat. The goal is to win the World Series, not to avenge past disappointments.
From a fan perspective, I also have no desire to see the 2 teams in the ALCS. These series are just way too intense, especially as a Yankee fan in this locale. Of course, there is no guarantee that either team will advance to the championship round, but I think the Red Sox are in a good position. I’m not convinced that the White Sox are for real, and in fact I’ll go on record as saying that they are “frauds”. I don’t think their pitching can keep Boston in check for an entire series, especially when the ChiSox are starting Jose Contreras in Game 1 (yikes!).
As for the other series, I think this is much more of a dogfight. The Angels have played reasonably well down the stretch and you would have to say that New York is the hottest team in the AL at the moment. Yankee starters will need to go deep into the game to avoid one of the weaker bullpens in the playoffs (save Gordon and Rivera). The Angels have a strong bullpen, but can their starters get them to a point where the bullpen can finish off the game? It should be interesting. Mussina worries me. He looked very poor in his last start and I think Yankee fans are wondering if he is truly healthy.
So who wants to see Yankees – Red Sox III? Not I. I was having this discussion with my neighbor in the office, and I asserted that if you want to win a tournament, it’s best to take the path of least resistance, and to me, that means “not through Boston”. While the Sox aren’t the magical team they were last season, they seem to raise their level when it comes to dueling the Yanks. Also, I have no personal sense of avenging last year’s defeat. The goal is to win the World Series, not to avenge past disappointments.
From a fan perspective, I also have no desire to see the 2 teams in the ALCS. These series are just way too intense, especially as a Yankee fan in this locale. Of course, there is no guarantee that either team will advance to the championship round, but I think the Red Sox are in a good position. I’m not convinced that the White Sox are for real, and in fact I’ll go on record as saying that they are “frauds”. I don’t think their pitching can keep Boston in check for an entire series, especially when the ChiSox are starting Jose Contreras in Game 1 (yikes!).
As for the other series, I think this is much more of a dogfight. The Angels have played reasonably well down the stretch and you would have to say that New York is the hottest team in the AL at the moment. Yankee starters will need to go deep into the game to avoid one of the weaker bullpens in the playoffs (save Gordon and Rivera). The Angels have a strong bullpen, but can their starters get them to a point where the bullpen can finish off the game? It should be interesting. Mussina worries me. He looked very poor in his last start and I think Yankee fans are wondering if he is truly healthy.
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