Instead of doing another "The Day In Baseball" edition for today's action, I decided that the night completely belonged to Craig Biggio and Frank Thomas who both reached major milestones. There is more than enough to talk about when it comes to these two players.
Craig Biggio's 3,000th hit Thursday night was fitting for what type of player he is and what he stands for as a human being. I am not talking about the simple fact that he reached the major career plateau which is a testament to years of hardwork and health, but I found the whole scene to be very symbolic of Craig Biggio himself. Biggio to me is a pure ballplayer, from the pine-tar covered batting helmet, to the tapped wrists, to his almost nightly dirty uniform.
Biggio does not possess any real tools that would jump out and wow you at first glance. He is a grinder, one who pulls the pants up, tucks in the jersey, tightly knots the spikes, and proceeds to punch the clock everyday when he comes to the ballpark. It is twenty years full of sweat, determination, and heart. He wears it on his sleeve. What does a man of that stature doing etching his name in one of the game's highest milestones? Well absolutely nothing if you are looking from the outside in, but absolutely everything if you are the player beneath the uniform who knows what it took to get there.
Biggio's greatest tool, in my opinion, is his amazing ability to consitently find the ball with the barrel of his bat and square it up. When he took a changeup down and away and lined it into right-center, it was what imediately proceeded that shows what his career is made of. Right after contact, he lowered his head, and took off for the races, busting down the line smelling two. In reality, it is fair to say that he got hosed at second base. As the saying goes, it's the thought that counts, well in this case, it is the hustle that counts. Outside of his baseball savvy of the present situation, which would be better discussed at different time, the mere five seconds it took him to get from homeplate to the tag at second base stood for just as much as the hit itself. Biggio has always been that type of player. Nobody will outplay him on a baseball field. That is why a man of that size can achieve such great things. That is what a grinder is through and through. Better yet, that is a ballplayer.
Frank Thomas achieved a completely different milestone Thursday, one that is going to become more and more common overtime due to the increase in homeruns. With his 500th homerun, Thomas has put the final stamp on what has been an excellent, and Hall Of Fame deserving, career. Many people argue that the 500-HR club is not as impressive now as it used to be, and they do have compelling arguements in some cases, but I'm here to say that is as impressive for the guys who did it the right way. For those who did not try to find a shortcut by cheating the game, the milestone has to be considered just as impressive and hold as much weight when it comes to Hall Of Fame consideration. It is still the same game of baseball.
In a day and age of steroids and drug scandals, Thomas sybolizes the true power hitter. Flat out, every since Comiskey Park, the man could rake. When you are great, there is no hiding that fact. Fastballs, breaking balls, everything inbetween, Frank Thomas devoured. It should not be lost in all of these mammoth long balls how good of a hitter Thomas is.
By using his milestone homer as an example, we can see how his talent shines through. When a player is close to a big milestone like The Big Hurt was, it is only human nature to press and try a little bit harder. That is usually when things begin their downward spiral. Thomas has not only been taking his walks, he hit a 1-2 breaking ball over the fence in left-center. That takes skill to sit back and and hit a hammer out of the park, because God knows that I would be up there guessing fastball and hoping to run into one. That is clearly why I am not a big league hitter, and Frank Thomas is.
Thomas himself said it best after Thursday's game.
"I couldn't care less about what other people did. This is special to me because I know how hard it was to hit 500 homeruns."
This is coming from one of the most feared power hitters of all-time. Thomas represents the humble man who took his talents and worked to make them the best he possibly could. When they got the level that was his peak, he was satisfied. It is not about looking to someone else to see what they have done or are doing. That is a waste of time since you only have the talent that has been given to you, and can only improve on it through hard work. Thomas understands this and applied it to baseball. His career should be wrapped up into a sample and given to each and every prospect in the minor leagues. It is not about the fame and decievingly chasing numerical records. When we thought that the purity of the athlete was all but gone, it is clear that remnants still remain. Two prime examples stamped their place in history on this day.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
T.D.I.B.- Miller Impresses
Rookie Andrew Miller was thrown into the spotlight on Sunday night when he took the hill for the Detroit Tigers on Sunday Night Baseball against the Atlanta Braves. The 6-foot-6 lefthander dominated from start to finish as he threw six innings of four-hit ball with two strikeouts. Nobody would of guessed Miller is a rookie as he shows great poise on the mound. Miller pounded the strike zone the entire night, coming right after the Atlant hitters with a fastball that registered t 90-97 mph. The Braves could not get anything going as the southpaw was simply too much. Miller, whose slider is often compared to that of Randy Johnson's, rarely used his secondary pitches Sunday night, relying heavily on his fastball. The lanky lefthander coils, partially showing his numbers to plate, before exploding towards the dish, allowing his arm to fly through and deliver the baseball. The fluidity involved in Miller's delivery is amazing, making it even harder to fathom the velocity that comes off of his fastball. With Mike Maroth recently traded to the Cardinals, Miller deserves that fifth rotation spot to prove that he is ready for the big leagues and consistently turn in solid starts. Anything close to Sunday night's performance and Miller will be dominating the league.
MORE FROM THE SHOW:
There were other great pitching performances around the big leagues today. Josh Beckett and the Red Sox beat Jake Peavy and the Padres 4-2. Beckett has been pitching like an ace this year and is arguably worthy of starting the All-Star game for the American League. Peavy who, in my opinion, should be starting for the National League in the Mid-Summer Classic, has been just as good as Beckett in 2007 but was quite avergae this afternoon. The Red Sox picked up yet another game on the Yankees.
John Maine threw seven great innings Sunday with six strikeouts for the Mets who appear to be back on track after sweeping the Oakland A's. The Mets need to start playing consistent baseball again like they did earlier in the season as the Phillies and Braves are close on their heels. At this point of the year, it is fair to say that the Marlins are still in the hunt as they are still single-digit behind the Mets. The pitching isn't quite there for Florida to contend yet though.
The Toronto Blue Jays handled the Colorado rockies 5-0 as Dustin McGowan took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, only for it to be broken up by a leadoff single from Jeff Baker. McGowan has great stuff including an exploding fastball in the mid-90's, a filthy changeup, and a great breaking ball. The problem? He faces the challenge all young pitchers must conquer at one point or another which is consitency. McGowan too oftenly cannot control his arsenal, leading him to turn in less-than-average performances. As soon as he learns to harness his repetoire, this kid can be one of the up-and-coming stars of the league.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, arguably the hottest team in baseball along with the Detroit Tigers, keeps stockpiling wins like they are going out of style. The Angels enjoyed their second extra-inning win in three days to complete a sweep of the Pittsburg Pirates. The Angels who have won nine straight series, have Kansas City coming into town for a three-game set, giving them a good chance to take that series winning-streak to double digits. The Halos can rely on their pitching, from the rotation to the bullpen, to overcome their lack of homeruns. Aggresiveness is preached throughout the organization and is shown as the Angels lead all of baseball in going from first to third on singles. With great defense up the middle, the Angels are the epitomy of a team, and complete teams produce winning baseball more often than simply slugging teams.
MORE FROM THE SHOW:
There were other great pitching performances around the big leagues today. Josh Beckett and the Red Sox beat Jake Peavy and the Padres 4-2. Beckett has been pitching like an ace this year and is arguably worthy of starting the All-Star game for the American League. Peavy who, in my opinion, should be starting for the National League in the Mid-Summer Classic, has been just as good as Beckett in 2007 but was quite avergae this afternoon. The Red Sox picked up yet another game on the Yankees.
John Maine threw seven great innings Sunday with six strikeouts for the Mets who appear to be back on track after sweeping the Oakland A's. The Mets need to start playing consistent baseball again like they did earlier in the season as the Phillies and Braves are close on their heels. At this point of the year, it is fair to say that the Marlins are still in the hunt as they are still single-digit behind the Mets. The pitching isn't quite there for Florida to contend yet though.
The Toronto Blue Jays handled the Colorado rockies 5-0 as Dustin McGowan took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, only for it to be broken up by a leadoff single from Jeff Baker. McGowan has great stuff including an exploding fastball in the mid-90's, a filthy changeup, and a great breaking ball. The problem? He faces the challenge all young pitchers must conquer at one point or another which is consitency. McGowan too oftenly cannot control his arsenal, leading him to turn in less-than-average performances. As soon as he learns to harness his repetoire, this kid can be one of the up-and-coming stars of the league.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, arguably the hottest team in baseball along with the Detroit Tigers, keeps stockpiling wins like they are going out of style. The Angels enjoyed their second extra-inning win in three days to complete a sweep of the Pittsburg Pirates. The Angels who have won nine straight series, have Kansas City coming into town for a three-game set, giving them a good chance to take that series winning-streak to double digits. The Halos can rely on their pitching, from the rotation to the bullpen, to overcome their lack of homeruns. Aggresiveness is preached throughout the organization and is shown as the Angels lead all of baseball in going from first to third on singles. With great defense up the middle, the Angels are the epitomy of a team, and complete teams produce winning baseball more often than simply slugging teams.
Bond's Isn't Only One Eyeing Records
All the talk in baseball these days seems to surround Barry Bonds for one reason or another. With Bonds' quest towards homerun number 756, the media scrutiny and attention has only grown larger. There are good things and bad things due to all of the attention Barry recieves. Often times, Barry Bonds is thrown under the bus when it comes to the steroid scandal, which if we have forgotten, he has not been proven guilty of. In that regard, it is a possitive for baseball that the story lines are now about him closing in on the arguably the most historic record in all of sports. As amazing as this feat is, there isn't much talk about two other players who are on the brink of huge milestones in their careers.
Craig Biggio is set to reach 3,000 hits in the next week or so. This is one of the toughest milestones to reach because it not only takes an incredibly gifted ballplayer to reach it, it takes years of hardwork and luck. Health is the main key to reaching any significant goal. Biggio has been the face of the Houston Astros for the past 18 years. He is one of the few players in this day and age of huge free-agent contracts that actually start their careers and finish them with the same team. Biggio is not a flashy player and therefore goes unnoticed to many people. In my opinion, he is everything that baseball is about. A guy that quietly shows up to work each day and puts the time in. He is a grinder, a worker, a baseball player. Many guys say that they play the game to win and they play it for the love, but you actually feel that when you are talking about Craig Biggio. The best part of it is that he doesn't need to say it.
The other player that is worthy of much attention is the Big Hurt. Frank Thomas needs one more homerun to reach 500 for his career. The slugger is the epitomy of a power bat, and he is still able to produce today. I haven't heard anyone say something bad about Frank Thomas. This is simply a testament to the type of player he is, but more so the type of human being that is dressed behind the uniform. A part of me is saddened to see this milestone come as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, simply because when I think of Frank Thomas, I still flash back to the tape measure shots hit at Comiskey Park. Frank Thomas is a White Sox. No matter how bitter the ending was between the two teams when he left, I think he needs to go into the Hall Of Fame as a White Sox. I am not quite sure any other athlete has meant more to the city of Chicago than Thomas, excluding Michael Jordan.
Craig Biggio is set to reach 3,000 hits in the next week or so. This is one of the toughest milestones to reach because it not only takes an incredibly gifted ballplayer to reach it, it takes years of hardwork and luck. Health is the main key to reaching any significant goal. Biggio has been the face of the Houston Astros for the past 18 years. He is one of the few players in this day and age of huge free-agent contracts that actually start their careers and finish them with the same team. Biggio is not a flashy player and therefore goes unnoticed to many people. In my opinion, he is everything that baseball is about. A guy that quietly shows up to work each day and puts the time in. He is a grinder, a worker, a baseball player. Many guys say that they play the game to win and they play it for the love, but you actually feel that when you are talking about Craig Biggio. The best part of it is that he doesn't need to say it.
The other player that is worthy of much attention is the Big Hurt. Frank Thomas needs one more homerun to reach 500 for his career. The slugger is the epitomy of a power bat, and he is still able to produce today. I haven't heard anyone say something bad about Frank Thomas. This is simply a testament to the type of player he is, but more so the type of human being that is dressed behind the uniform. A part of me is saddened to see this milestone come as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, simply because when I think of Frank Thomas, I still flash back to the tape measure shots hit at Comiskey Park. Frank Thomas is a White Sox. No matter how bitter the ending was between the two teams when he left, I think he needs to go into the Hall Of Fame as a White Sox. I am not quite sure any other athlete has meant more to the city of Chicago than Thomas, excluding Michael Jordan.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
The Day In Baseball(T.D.I.B.)- Injuries Aplenty
NOTE: This edition of "The Day In Baseball" is for Friday, June 22, 2007, but was posted early morning on Saturday June 23, 2007.
Many topics around baseball today deal with the health issues of several top players. In the most surprising, and disappointing, injuries of all is the broken wrist suffered by Miguel Tejada. Tejada was placed on the 15-day DL which will officially end his consecutive games played streak at 1,152. Tejada has been the iron man of baseball since Cal Ripken Jr. retired, and it is sad to see such a major accomplishment be derailed.
Justin Morneau suffered a scary collision in Florida Friday night. The 2006 AL MVP suffered a bruised lung in a homeplate collision. He was coughing up blood and was forced to be taken to the hospital for further examination. All tests came back normal, but Morneau will be kept in the hospital overnight, expecting to be out of he lineup for a few games. The collision was not one of the more violent ones, so it was a bit surprising to see Morneau go down like that. His absence shouldn't affect the Twins too much as they are playing good baseball. Due to Hanley Ramirez, Minnesota dropped the game 5-4.
MORE FROM THE SHOW:
Kenny Rogers made his 2007 debut after undergoing surgery during spring training to remove a blood clot from his left shoulder. Rogers baffled the Atlanta braves for six innings, striking out five. The southpaw picked up exactly where he left off from the 2006 postseason. This setback came as a surpirse in spring training because it was a such a freak occurence. Rogers was looking to anchor the staff after resurrecting himself last year. Luckily, the blood clot did not turn out to be a serious health issue.
It appeared that the Oakland Athletics made a deal to send outfielder Milton Bradley to the Kansas City Royals only to learn later Friday night that the deal had been canceled due to a problem with Bradley's medical condition. It was found that Bradley is suffering from a strained oblique that is preventing him from playing. The deal was voided and Bradley was sent back to Oakland. I don't see this as being a major problem in terms of the deal getting worked out again. The Royals obviously have interest in Bradley, and will accept him when he is healthy. Was this a loop hole Bradley thought he could exercise to get out of being traded to a team who is in the cellar?
It was a pitching matchup for the ages in San Diego as Daisuke Matsuzaka outdueled Greg Maddux as the Red Sox beat the Padres 2-1. Matsuzaka went six innings and struck out nine, showing his level of dominance, while Maddux did his usual thing, mixing and matching the hitters to death. This game featured a future first-ballot Hall Of Famer versus the Next Generation in Major League Baseball today. Matsuzaka was great on this night, but what will show his true colors will be if and when he can make the adjustments on the fly to win when he does not have his best stuff and command. That is something that all great pitchers learn how to do over the years.
Finally, I am not sure if there was a better moment on Friday than Ken Griffey Jr. returning to Seattle for the first time since he was a Mariner. Griffey gave a pregame speech to fans, with former teammates in attendance including Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner. The outfielder thanked the fans for supporting him and his teammates throughout his stay there and for allowing him to represent the Mariners in the best possible fashion. I honestly was not sure what type of reception Jr. would recieve coming into Safeco, but looking back it was nice to see the fans show so much support. We are talking about an easy Hall Of Fame player who broke in as a 19-year-old and never looked back. The man is closing in on 600 homeruns and I believe he has at least another five good years if he can stay away from the injury bug that has plagued him in the past. While painting a physical picture of ultimate power and grace through his beautiful lefthanded swing, Jr. has played the game with respect and class, and it is appropriate that we as fans appreciate greatness and offer that respect back.
Many topics around baseball today deal with the health issues of several top players. In the most surprising, and disappointing, injuries of all is the broken wrist suffered by Miguel Tejada. Tejada was placed on the 15-day DL which will officially end his consecutive games played streak at 1,152. Tejada has been the iron man of baseball since Cal Ripken Jr. retired, and it is sad to see such a major accomplishment be derailed.
Justin Morneau suffered a scary collision in Florida Friday night. The 2006 AL MVP suffered a bruised lung in a homeplate collision. He was coughing up blood and was forced to be taken to the hospital for further examination. All tests came back normal, but Morneau will be kept in the hospital overnight, expecting to be out of he lineup for a few games. The collision was not one of the more violent ones, so it was a bit surprising to see Morneau go down like that. His absence shouldn't affect the Twins too much as they are playing good baseball. Due to Hanley Ramirez, Minnesota dropped the game 5-4.
MORE FROM THE SHOW:
Kenny Rogers made his 2007 debut after undergoing surgery during spring training to remove a blood clot from his left shoulder. Rogers baffled the Atlanta braves for six innings, striking out five. The southpaw picked up exactly where he left off from the 2006 postseason. This setback came as a surpirse in spring training because it was a such a freak occurence. Rogers was looking to anchor the staff after resurrecting himself last year. Luckily, the blood clot did not turn out to be a serious health issue.
It appeared that the Oakland Athletics made a deal to send outfielder Milton Bradley to the Kansas City Royals only to learn later Friday night that the deal had been canceled due to a problem with Bradley's medical condition. It was found that Bradley is suffering from a strained oblique that is preventing him from playing. The deal was voided and Bradley was sent back to Oakland. I don't see this as being a major problem in terms of the deal getting worked out again. The Royals obviously have interest in Bradley, and will accept him when he is healthy. Was this a loop hole Bradley thought he could exercise to get out of being traded to a team who is in the cellar?
It was a pitching matchup for the ages in San Diego as Daisuke Matsuzaka outdueled Greg Maddux as the Red Sox beat the Padres 2-1. Matsuzaka went six innings and struck out nine, showing his level of dominance, while Maddux did his usual thing, mixing and matching the hitters to death. This game featured a future first-ballot Hall Of Famer versus the Next Generation in Major League Baseball today. Matsuzaka was great on this night, but what will show his true colors will be if and when he can make the adjustments on the fly to win when he does not have his best stuff and command. That is something that all great pitchers learn how to do over the years.
Finally, I am not sure if there was a better moment on Friday than Ken Griffey Jr. returning to Seattle for the first time since he was a Mariner. Griffey gave a pregame speech to fans, with former teammates in attendance including Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner. The outfielder thanked the fans for supporting him and his teammates throughout his stay there and for allowing him to represent the Mariners in the best possible fashion. I honestly was not sure what type of reception Jr. would recieve coming into Safeco, but looking back it was nice to see the fans show so much support. We are talking about an easy Hall Of Fame player who broke in as a 19-year-old and never looked back. The man is closing in on 600 homeruns and I believe he has at least another five good years if he can stay away from the injury bug that has plagued him in the past. While painting a physical picture of ultimate power and grace through his beautiful lefthanded swing, Jr. has played the game with respect and class, and it is appropriate that we as fans appreciate greatness and offer that respect back.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Weekend Shows Off Best And Worst Of Baseball
Quite a lively weekend it was around Major League Baseball as all was on display. The great thing about this game is there is a chance every day that you will see something that you have never seen before. To the casual fan, all baseball games seem the same. You hit the ball, you throw the ball, and you catch the ball. But to he baseball lifers, each game, no matter how routine, is different that any other game taking place. Each game writes its own story and has aspects and story lines that cannot be related to another occasion. Its new people performing for better or worse, and coming back to the ballpark the next day to take another crack at it. Whether you went 0-4 with four punchouts, or you threw a no-hitter, baseball allows you to come back tomorrow to redeem yourself, or be humbled. Both occasions happen to the best of them.
If you look closely enough, baseball provides enough great context to entertain each day. Saturday's game between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres showed off the uglier side of the game. As Chris Young's fastball rode in on the chin of Derek Lee, tempers flared and punches were thrown. This is not exactly what you wish for a young kid to see coming to a ballgame, but it happens. Fighting may not necessarily be a part of baseball, but it is apart of human actions and there is no avoiding it. It should be discussed in a neutral context because, as it may not have a spot in baseball, knockdown pitches, takeout slides, and hard-nosed baseball do, making an occasional brawl unavoidable. Suspensions will follow, as they should, but we must understand that it is just baseball and the game supervises itself.
From the uglier moments to some of the greatest moments, Sunday provided us with the pinnacle of baseball glory. Justin Morneau hit a walkoff homerun in the bottom of the 9th inning to propel the Twins over the Brewers 10-9. A walkoff homerun may the purest form of childhood in any sport. With the game on the line and the crowd on its feet, a bat connects with a ball to launch it into the air and send the players and fans alike in to a frenzy. I can't help but think back to Little Leaguers celebrating after winning a game on a sunny Saturday afternoon. I don't get that feeling in any other sport nearly as much as I get it in baseball. Granted, all sports have their joy, but baseball is simply better at expressing the highs and lows of athletics.
We had two major cross-town rivalries taking place, both providing their respective highlights. The Angels continued their feast of the Los Angeles Dodgers, beating them 10-4 Sunday and improving to 5-1 against their Los Angeles foe this year. It is clear the Angels have one of the deepest, if not the deepest, pitching staffs in baseball. Their offense is starting to come around making this team a very scary playoff contender. If the A's and Mariners aren't careful, this division may turn into a landslide before any games are played after Labor Day. The Dodgers on the other hand are playing solid baseball, but aren't as hot as they were earlier in the season. It looks like the National League West has completely redeemed itself as a competitive baseball divison, and all signs point to that race going down to the wire. What the Dodgers do have is pitching, and that may carry them a little bit further than the Padres who also have quality arms, but cannot stack up with the Dodgers when it comes to bullpen depth.
Finally the Mets and Yankees concluded their season series, and those games are always a joy to watch. The Mets stumbled into Yankee stadium on Friday and felt a great boost in confidence as Oliver Perez outpitched Roger Clemens leading to a 2-0 Met win. That ray of hope has all but faded since, as the Mets were disposed of in the following two games. Alex Rodriguez may be just as hot now as he was in April, probably the single biggest factor as to why the Yankees are the hottest team in baseball. All of these story lines and we didn't even touch on Boston sweeping San Francisco at Fenway, Verlander dominating in Philadephia, or Fausto Carmon's continued quest towards and All-Star appearance. What sounds like a great weekend, which it was, could simply be categorized as "the usual" for a day at the ballpark.
If you look closely enough, baseball provides enough great context to entertain each day. Saturday's game between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres showed off the uglier side of the game. As Chris Young's fastball rode in on the chin of Derek Lee, tempers flared and punches were thrown. This is not exactly what you wish for a young kid to see coming to a ballgame, but it happens. Fighting may not necessarily be a part of baseball, but it is apart of human actions and there is no avoiding it. It should be discussed in a neutral context because, as it may not have a spot in baseball, knockdown pitches, takeout slides, and hard-nosed baseball do, making an occasional brawl unavoidable. Suspensions will follow, as they should, but we must understand that it is just baseball and the game supervises itself.
From the uglier moments to some of the greatest moments, Sunday provided us with the pinnacle of baseball glory. Justin Morneau hit a walkoff homerun in the bottom of the 9th inning to propel the Twins over the Brewers 10-9. A walkoff homerun may the purest form of childhood in any sport. With the game on the line and the crowd on its feet, a bat connects with a ball to launch it into the air and send the players and fans alike in to a frenzy. I can't help but think back to Little Leaguers celebrating after winning a game on a sunny Saturday afternoon. I don't get that feeling in any other sport nearly as much as I get it in baseball. Granted, all sports have their joy, but baseball is simply better at expressing the highs and lows of athletics.
We had two major cross-town rivalries taking place, both providing their respective highlights. The Angels continued their feast of the Los Angeles Dodgers, beating them 10-4 Sunday and improving to 5-1 against their Los Angeles foe this year. It is clear the Angels have one of the deepest, if not the deepest, pitching staffs in baseball. Their offense is starting to come around making this team a very scary playoff contender. If the A's and Mariners aren't careful, this division may turn into a landslide before any games are played after Labor Day. The Dodgers on the other hand are playing solid baseball, but aren't as hot as they were earlier in the season. It looks like the National League West has completely redeemed itself as a competitive baseball divison, and all signs point to that race going down to the wire. What the Dodgers do have is pitching, and that may carry them a little bit further than the Padres who also have quality arms, but cannot stack up with the Dodgers when it comes to bullpen depth.
Finally the Mets and Yankees concluded their season series, and those games are always a joy to watch. The Mets stumbled into Yankee stadium on Friday and felt a great boost in confidence as Oliver Perez outpitched Roger Clemens leading to a 2-0 Met win. That ray of hope has all but faded since, as the Mets were disposed of in the following two games. Alex Rodriguez may be just as hot now as he was in April, probably the single biggest factor as to why the Yankees are the hottest team in baseball. All of these story lines and we didn't even touch on Boston sweeping San Francisco at Fenway, Verlander dominating in Philadephia, or Fausto Carmon's continued quest towards and All-Star appearance. What sounds like a great weekend, which it was, could simply be categorized as "the usual" for a day at the ballpark.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Mets Struggling, But Not Down And Out
The New York Mets lost another game Wednesday night 9-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers. This marks their fifth consecutive loss and their ninth out of the last ten games. It is rather obvious while the Mets are struggling right now. I contribute the failure to a few different reasons.
First, the starting pitching which has been outstanding and carrying the reigning National League East champs has been getting pummeled. Jorge Sosa did not fair any better Wednesday night, giving up six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. It is no secret that winning teams rely on pitching. A good staff can carry a team through the playoffs, or it can rejuvinate one that has been in the cellar. Just see the New York Yankees for an example. Without Pedro Martinez, the Mets are relying on a relatively unexperienced group outside of future Hall Of Famer Tom Glavine. Sosa has been smoldering on the mound as of late, so I would hesitate to bury him after one bad outing. John Maine is a stud in the making, although this is only his second year in the big leagues. As great as this kid is, there are still more growing pains in the future for him.
Second, the usually explosive offense has been rather punchless. Any and all activity begins with Jose Reyes at the leadoff spot. David Wright, Carlos Beltran, and Carlos Delgado need him on base to drive in and creat other opportunities. When Beltran and Delgado are in the midst of minor slumps, it s apparent that the offense will seem a bit flat. The Mets are at their best when Reyes is on the bases and running. He didn't run at all against the Dodgers, leaving the club no other options but to keep hacking away. Tha obvioiusly isn't working.
The last reason, and the most important reason of all, is that these types of streaks happen in baseball. Baseball would not be nearly the game it is if everything came so easy. Every so often players fall into slumps, and when more than one player is doing that at the same time on a team, it is going to show an outwardly affect. Baseball is a game of hot and cold. All players and all teams experience both. You can attest some of the Mets recent struggles to a simple buzz saw. When you are facing hot pitching, like they did the past three days in Los Angeles, it is going to be very difficult to win. It is more than likely that the Mets won't find themselves until they face a pitcher who is going through a little bit of struggling on his own and gives them some fat pitches to hit.
After all that has gone wrong in the past two weeks for the Amazin's, they head home still holding a 2 game lead in the NL East. There is plenty of offense to spread around, and the pitching staff wil regain its form before too long. Talent always prevails over the course of a 162-game season. The Mets have too much of it, and too many clubhouse leaders to let some minor struggles send them into a complete downward spiral. Fans and personnel need not to worry. Baseball will pick a team back up, dust them off, and return them to the plateu which they belong as long as the club doesn't let doubt seep in and just lets the game run its course.
First, the starting pitching which has been outstanding and carrying the reigning National League East champs has been getting pummeled. Jorge Sosa did not fair any better Wednesday night, giving up six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. It is no secret that winning teams rely on pitching. A good staff can carry a team through the playoffs, or it can rejuvinate one that has been in the cellar. Just see the New York Yankees for an example. Without Pedro Martinez, the Mets are relying on a relatively unexperienced group outside of future Hall Of Famer Tom Glavine. Sosa has been smoldering on the mound as of late, so I would hesitate to bury him after one bad outing. John Maine is a stud in the making, although this is only his second year in the big leagues. As great as this kid is, there are still more growing pains in the future for him.
Second, the usually explosive offense has been rather punchless. Any and all activity begins with Jose Reyes at the leadoff spot. David Wright, Carlos Beltran, and Carlos Delgado need him on base to drive in and creat other opportunities. When Beltran and Delgado are in the midst of minor slumps, it s apparent that the offense will seem a bit flat. The Mets are at their best when Reyes is on the bases and running. He didn't run at all against the Dodgers, leaving the club no other options but to keep hacking away. Tha obvioiusly isn't working.
The last reason, and the most important reason of all, is that these types of streaks happen in baseball. Baseball would not be nearly the game it is if everything came so easy. Every so often players fall into slumps, and when more than one player is doing that at the same time on a team, it is going to show an outwardly affect. Baseball is a game of hot and cold. All players and all teams experience both. You can attest some of the Mets recent struggles to a simple buzz saw. When you are facing hot pitching, like they did the past three days in Los Angeles, it is going to be very difficult to win. It is more than likely that the Mets won't find themselves until they face a pitcher who is going through a little bit of struggling on his own and gives them some fat pitches to hit.
After all that has gone wrong in the past two weeks for the Amazin's, they head home still holding a 2 game lead in the NL East. There is plenty of offense to spread around, and the pitching staff wil regain its form before too long. Talent always prevails over the course of a 162-game season. The Mets have too much of it, and too many clubhouse leaders to let some minor struggles send them into a complete downward spiral. Fans and personnel need not to worry. Baseball will pick a team back up, dust them off, and return them to the plateu which they belong as long as the club doesn't let doubt seep in and just lets the game run its course.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Kuo Adding To Dodger Depth
Hong-Chih Kuo has been solid since returning to the rotation for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his last two starts, matter of fact, he has been brilliant. Five days ago he turned in six innings with one earned run and eight strikeouts against the San Diego Padres. Tonight he shined for seven innings, giving up one earned run and striking out four while even adding a solo home run at the plate.
For a rotation that is among the best in all of baseball, this boost is not necessarily needed, but is gladly accepted. With Brad Penny currently turning in another All-Star year and Derek Lowe dominating start after start only to have them wasted by the off-and-on offense, the Dodgers have two studs to lead the rotation. Only expected to turn in quality starts and hold down a spot in the back of the rotation, Randy Wolf is quietly tied for the National League lead in wins. All of this comes with Jason Schmidt coming off of the DL.
If Scmidt can pitch like he did in his first start back in San Diego, I don't see anybody beating this team. They should wrap up the National League West and ride a tsunami of momentum into the playoffs. Pitching carries teams and this club has plenty of it. Add Kuo's efforts to the club and the Dodgers should have a great shot to win four out of every five ball games. The fifth belongs to Schmidt who surely has his questions, but there is no doubting what he can possibly add to a rotation.
For a rotation that is among the best in all of baseball, this boost is not necessarily needed, but is gladly accepted. With Brad Penny currently turning in another All-Star year and Derek Lowe dominating start after start only to have them wasted by the off-and-on offense, the Dodgers have two studs to lead the rotation. Only expected to turn in quality starts and hold down a spot in the back of the rotation, Randy Wolf is quietly tied for the National League lead in wins. All of this comes with Jason Schmidt coming off of the DL.
If Scmidt can pitch like he did in his first start back in San Diego, I don't see anybody beating this team. They should wrap up the National League West and ride a tsunami of momentum into the playoffs. Pitching carries teams and this club has plenty of it. Add Kuo's efforts to the club and the Dodgers should have a great shot to win four out of every five ball games. The fifth belongs to Schmidt who surely has his questions, but there is no doubting what he can possibly add to a rotation.
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