The Dodgers left Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon feeling good about the ballclub, good about the National League West standings, and good about the future after Clayton Kershaw made a stellar big league debut and Andre Ethier drove in the winning run in the tenth inning to send the Dodgers to Chicago on a winning note. But, boy, can baseball humble you in a hurry.
As quick as the Dodgers rode into Wrigley Field, they were sent out with a three game swepp twice as fast, the final loss being a 2-1 disappointer Wednesady evening after Los Angeles had the game in their hands and a chance to salvage one of the three games before they headed to New York. Just wasn't meant to be.
Derek Lowe was stellar over seven innings on Wednesday night, walking two and striking out five. The sinker was back to sinking and the slider was a nice complement to the bread and butter. Lowe, who was 0-3 with a 6.61 ERA on the road entering Wednesday's start, had given up 27 earned runs in his previos 6 starts but showed signs of returning to the rock that he is capable of being. When Lowe doesn't nibble and uses a steady diet of sinkers to get the opposing hitters to kill the grass in front of the dish, he is an innings-eater and a tone setter.
The Dodgers gave the ball to Jonathan Broxton with a one run lead in the eigth inning, and he did what you would expect him to do. The big righty used his plus fastball and power slider to strike out the side and showed all the reasons why the Dodgers are comfortable with the thought of him filling the closer role when Takashi Saito calls it quits.
It was the ninth inning where things began to unravel, the place where you would least expect the wheels to fall off for the Dodgers. But Saito was not sharp from the start, as he walked Ryan Theriot to lead off the bottom of the ninth. It was downhill from there. Another walk, sac fly, and 30 some odd pitches later the game went to extra innings, tied 1-1, only to have Alfonso Soriano drive in the winning run off of Chan Ho Park in the bottom of the tenth. Soriano, who has been struggling, has been backed by his teammates and everybody from Chavez Ravine to Wrigley Field knows that Soriano is critical to the Cubs success this season.
"They know that I am working hard every day to do better and better. I love what I do and I believe in myself all the time", Soriano said after the ballgame.
So there it was for the Dodgers, as deflating and demoralizing loss as they could get this week. Their stud at the back of the bullpen look as vulnerable as ever, and the hitting woes continue as they go on to play the Mets for four games, a team that has all of sudden found a little confidence and is finally playing like they feel somewhat embarassed by their record thus far.
The pitching has been great for the Dodgers of late-- they have a team ERA of 2.38 in the last week. It is the hitting that the Dodgers cannot figure out, and is the lone reason why they are not right on top of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the standings. This is purely a team-wide struggle. It is not as if six guys are stinging the ball and they just aren't falling into place. That would be easy to deal with because that is baseball and that sort of cruel suffering lasts as long as it will take the Dodgers to fly from Chicago to New York. Rarely will a team be tied down an entire ballgame if they are having quality at bats.
Even though the Dodgers had the lead in the ninth inning Wednesday with a great chance to win, it wasn't like their offense did any of the work. They were up 1-0 and that lone run was courtesy of Carlos Zambrano, who walked Blake DeWitt with the bases loaded in the fourth inning. It wasn't a Matt Kemp home run or an Andre Ethier RBI-double. It was a bases loaded walk. That sums it up for the Dodgers.
In the last seven days, as a team, the Dodgers are hitting .230 with 2 home runs and 9 RBIs. Adding insult to injury, they have walked 16 times and struck out 41 times. That's not bad hitting, that's anemic hitting. That's leaving the team bats in Los Angeles and taking hotel broom sticks to the ballpark.
There are two main problems for the Dodgers. The first is the fact that Rafael Frucal's back has turned out to be a pretty serious injury and he is going to miss more than a month when the Dodgers first expected him to miss a series, maybe. Furcal was put back on the DL this week, the second time for the same injury, and is looking at at least two more weeks before his return to action. Furcal was on a torrid pace before he got hurt, so it is safe to say that the Dodgers lost their biggest bat for a substantial part of this early season. Not helping matters is Furcal's replacement at shortstop, Chin-Lung Hu, who is hitting .179 on the season and .152 in the last two weeks.
The second problem for the Dodgers is the vanishing of first baseman James Loney's bat from the middle of the order. We all know what type of offensive player Loney is capable of being, as he had a .296 career batting average in the minors when he was playing against much older competition after being drafted out of high school.
Loney is hitting .274 on the season but has hit a horrific .105 in the last week, the games when the Dodgers needed his bat the most. Usually, Loney has few, if any, holes in his swing as he can handle any fastball, lays off of the high gas, and is a good breaking ball hitter. He is more than a tough out when he is playing like he is capable of.
But against the Cubs and Cardinals the past two series, Loney has been exposed to great lengths. He is chasing the letter-high fastball, a pitch that is impossible to do anything with, and is being fooled and frozen by breaking balls alike. The fluidity in his swing is gone and the sweet, powerful stroke that wears out the gaps is nowhere to be found. Loney appears rigid and uncomfortable in the box, as if he simply isn't picking the ball up well coming out of the pitchers hand.
The good news out of this, the little there is, is that the Dodgers have a solid core of veterans and a mature group of young players who are keeping this slump in perspective. This is exactly the reason why Frank McCourt brought in Joe Torre to manage the club with unlimited potential, after watching the clubhouse crumble last fall under the lead of Grady Little.
This is not time for the panic button, by any means, and is much to early to be worrying about falling out of the standings and not being able to contend come September. But the Dodgers need to take it for what it is, a discouraging sense of frustration, and let the sickness brew a little bit and finally snap out of it and learn how to prevent these stretches from lingering no more than a game or two. Due to the chemistry in the clubhouse and the tightness of the club, Derek Lowe, who has been a starter and a closer in his career, handled it best as he discounted the Dodgers lack of hitting while backing up Takashi Saito and pointing his focus towards New York, leaving these struggles behind.
“I really think that if anybody can understand about losing and frustrations, it’s me and that’s what makes it easier. You root for him and games like that are going to happen. I’ve blown a lot of games in my career, so I understand the feeling", said Lowe after watching his win evaporate.
And with that the Dodgers packed up their bats, the ones that will bail them out sooner or later, their confidence, which will get them back on track, and their teammates, the ones who join the battle and ease the stuggles, and headed off for the Big Apple with a fresh start ahead.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Ballpark Banter- Tuesday's NL Review
1) The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies 7-4 Tuesday evening, their fourth straight win and third straight over the Rockies, as Kyle Kendrick threw 7 1/2 innings of two run ball and struck out five. The Phillies now trail the Florida Marlins by 1 1/2 games in the NL East. The Rockies, on the other hand, fall 10 games back of divison-leading Arizona in the NL West and are only a 1/2 game up on San Diego for last place in the division.
Brad Lidge pitched the ninth inning in a non-save situation. He struck out two and, like most closers who pitch to just get some work in, gave up an earned run as he wasn't as lights out as usual. Lidge has to be one of the best stories of baseball this season, although it is easy to get lost in the shuffle since our game is filled with great story lines these days. But I am intrigued by the path that Lidge has taken to get to where he is currently in his career.
It was only a couple of falls ago that Lidge was one of the most dominant closers in baseball for a Houston Astros team that was an annual contender. It seemed as if the homerun Albert Pujols hit off of him in the 2005 playoffs set his career spiraling down. The Astros tried to get him on track but was soon demoted to set up role because of a lack of confidence. The native Texan no longer had the support of the hometown fans, and change was inevitable.
Once the Astros sent Lidge to the Phillies in exchange for speedy outfielder Michael Bourn and Lidge recovered from his spring knee operation, the old dominance began to return. The thing is, Lidge's failures were always some sort of dilemma. The great stuff-- mid 90s fastball and devastating slider-- never left, but yet he was more hittable than ever. Lidge chalked it up to a loss of confidence and had to rethink his career before he could find the way back to slamming ninth inning doors and opposing hitters' hopes alike. Wth 12 saves and a 0.82 ERA in 2008, the Lidge we used to know has finally resurfaced.
2) The Chicago Cubs topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 for the second consecutive day, and the Dodgers cannot say they played horribly these last two days, and the Cubs cannot say they have played great the last two games. Fact is, niether of these clubs is hitting and, more importantly, they aren't hitting with runners in scoring position.
Sean Gallagher got the win after allowing one run over seven innings. Gallagher is a command and feel lefty who relies on hitting his spots and using his offspeed pitches to keep hitters off of his fastball. He is a pretty typical lefty, except that he appears to be a little more aggressive in the strike zone with his fastball. He likes to throw inside and get ahead with the heater; both of those are plus strengths since junk ball southpaws have to be perfect if they don't want to get killed.
The hard-luck loser was Hiroki Kuroda who went 6 1/3 giving up two runs, one earned, and struck out three. Jonathan Broxton allowed Kuroda's second run when he came on in relief in the seventh, and then added one of his own for good measure.
The Dodgers' problem has been their starting pitching, but that was before their last 4 games or so. They are getting quality starts now, from Kuroda to Billingsley to young phenom Clayton Kershaw, but all of the sudden they can't score any runs. They are havign to bunt and scratch across runs every game, whether it be the 8th, 9th, or extra innings. That's no way to win a division, much less be a championship ballclub.
The Cubs have been fairly balanced throughout the year, and their offense should take even another couple of steps as the season rolls along. Derek Lee has been all that and more as the rock in the middle of the lineup, Kosuke Fukudome has been a pleasant surprise, Alfonso Soriano is starting to swing the bat with some authority, and Lou Pinella is still waiting for Aramis Ramirez to get hot.
The biggest surprise, and probably a bigger story than the aforementioned Lidge, is the emergence of Kerry Wood as the Cubs' closer. Now Wood is a guy who came into the Major League with a ton of potential and a world's worth of expectations, and multipled those by a million after he had that 20 strikeout game ten years ago. Since then, it has been ten trips to the DL for a shoulder and elbow that just couldn't take the demand of being a professional baseball player. His big frame and promising arm were failing him, and there were no answers for it beside dumb luck.
After admitting to himself that his body could not take the workload of a big league starter anymore, Wood reinvented himself as a ninth inning massacre, a guy could be the single biggest piece towards the Cubs making a run at the World Series or not. Wood has been pumping his fastball in at 95-96 mph this spring, along with a nasty 83-85 mph slider. He has been a joy to watch, and I don't know how he could not win Comeback Player of the Year if he keeps this type of performance up. Should be a great summer for the Wrigley faithful.
Brad Lidge pitched the ninth inning in a non-save situation. He struck out two and, like most closers who pitch to just get some work in, gave up an earned run as he wasn't as lights out as usual. Lidge has to be one of the best stories of baseball this season, although it is easy to get lost in the shuffle since our game is filled with great story lines these days. But I am intrigued by the path that Lidge has taken to get to where he is currently in his career.
It was only a couple of falls ago that Lidge was one of the most dominant closers in baseball for a Houston Astros team that was an annual contender. It seemed as if the homerun Albert Pujols hit off of him in the 2005 playoffs set his career spiraling down. The Astros tried to get him on track but was soon demoted to set up role because of a lack of confidence. The native Texan no longer had the support of the hometown fans, and change was inevitable.
Once the Astros sent Lidge to the Phillies in exchange for speedy outfielder Michael Bourn and Lidge recovered from his spring knee operation, the old dominance began to return. The thing is, Lidge's failures were always some sort of dilemma. The great stuff-- mid 90s fastball and devastating slider-- never left, but yet he was more hittable than ever. Lidge chalked it up to a loss of confidence and had to rethink his career before he could find the way back to slamming ninth inning doors and opposing hitters' hopes alike. Wth 12 saves and a 0.82 ERA in 2008, the Lidge we used to know has finally resurfaced.
2) The Chicago Cubs topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 for the second consecutive day, and the Dodgers cannot say they played horribly these last two days, and the Cubs cannot say they have played great the last two games. Fact is, niether of these clubs is hitting and, more importantly, they aren't hitting with runners in scoring position.
Sean Gallagher got the win after allowing one run over seven innings. Gallagher is a command and feel lefty who relies on hitting his spots and using his offspeed pitches to keep hitters off of his fastball. He is a pretty typical lefty, except that he appears to be a little more aggressive in the strike zone with his fastball. He likes to throw inside and get ahead with the heater; both of those are plus strengths since junk ball southpaws have to be perfect if they don't want to get killed.
The hard-luck loser was Hiroki Kuroda who went 6 1/3 giving up two runs, one earned, and struck out three. Jonathan Broxton allowed Kuroda's second run when he came on in relief in the seventh, and then added one of his own for good measure.
The Dodgers' problem has been their starting pitching, but that was before their last 4 games or so. They are getting quality starts now, from Kuroda to Billingsley to young phenom Clayton Kershaw, but all of the sudden they can't score any runs. They are havign to bunt and scratch across runs every game, whether it be the 8th, 9th, or extra innings. That's no way to win a division, much less be a championship ballclub.
The Cubs have been fairly balanced throughout the year, and their offense should take even another couple of steps as the season rolls along. Derek Lee has been all that and more as the rock in the middle of the lineup, Kosuke Fukudome has been a pleasant surprise, Alfonso Soriano is starting to swing the bat with some authority, and Lou Pinella is still waiting for Aramis Ramirez to get hot.
The biggest surprise, and probably a bigger story than the aforementioned Lidge, is the emergence of Kerry Wood as the Cubs' closer. Now Wood is a guy who came into the Major League with a ton of potential and a world's worth of expectations, and multipled those by a million after he had that 20 strikeout game ten years ago. Since then, it has been ten trips to the DL for a shoulder and elbow that just couldn't take the demand of being a professional baseball player. His big frame and promising arm were failing him, and there were no answers for it beside dumb luck.
After admitting to himself that his body could not take the workload of a big league starter anymore, Wood reinvented himself as a ninth inning massacre, a guy could be the single biggest piece towards the Cubs making a run at the World Series or not. Wood has been pumping his fastball in at 95-96 mph this spring, along with a nasty 83-85 mph slider. He has been a joy to watch, and I don't know how he could not win Comeback Player of the Year if he keeps this type of performance up. Should be a great summer for the Wrigley faithful.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
L.A. Screams 'K' for Kershaw
By now, if you are a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers or a just a rabid baseball fan, you have heard about the Legend of Clayton Kershaw. That's right, the Legend. That is what is seems like as Kershaw has been the most hyped Dodgers' pitching prospect since Sandy Koufax. Kershaw is the hottest twenty year old kid to hit the L.A. scene, you wouldn't even think he would be a baseball player. Musician? Maybe. Actor? Probably. But baseball it is, and the kid's Hollywood celebrity is already bright and growing.
The fans have been crying for his arrival since spring training when he dominated in big league camp, and even Dodger icon Vin Scully has been singing the kid's song since he dubbed the curveball, that was so good it buckled Sean Casey twice in the same at bat in a spring training game, "Public Enemy Number One". Only two years removed from high school baseball, it has been a mythical rise through the minor leagues for Kershaw. It was never a matter of "if", but only "when". The buzz has been rampant in Los Angeles from Opening Day, and general manager Ned Colletti has made it a daily habit of answering the next round of Kershaw questions.
Colletti stressed the importance of not rushing the kid and allowing him time for seasoning and development. Those explanations held hardly any water when word of Kershaw's latest dominant outing in Double-A Jacksonville surfaced at Chavez Ravine. It would be safe to say that Colletti's hand was forced when the Dodgers' entire starting rotation it seems has been in a month long funk, and forget about the number five starter. That has been nonexistent in a rotation that has asked Esteban Loaiza and Chan Ho Park to take their cracks at it.
And so it was, on Sunday, Memorial Day weekend, the kid from Highland Park, Texas, the phenom on a freight train from Jacksonville, arrived on baseball's biggest stage in a city with some of the brightest lights. This was not making your Major League debut for the Kansas City Royals in September when the club is 30 games out of first place and the fans are looking for football season. This is taking your first cracks at The Show in front of a passionate fan base, amidst a cry for help from the front office.
It wasn't meant to be like this, Clayton, with the weight of stabilizing the Dodgers' starting pitching on your shoulders from the get-go, but here you are and here's the ball anyways.
The kid arrived to the ballpark with family and friends in the stands, and put on his Los Angeles Dodgers uniform and headed for the bullpen to pull up the anchor on the ship and set this baby out to sea. It is time. Time to get this young, heralded career on the road.
Kershaw took the mound, cap pulled down over his eyes covering his easy going hair, pants loosely hanging down from his waist nestling on the top of his spikes, jersey comfortably draped over his broud shoulders and big league frame. And then he stared. He peered at the plate to get his first sign from catcher Russell Martin: a 93 mph fastball. He stared as he blew away Skip Schumaker with elevated 95 mph cheese, the first strikeout of his career, the first out of the ballgame.
The glare towards Schumaker as he plodded back to the dugout told us all we needed to know. The kid had arrived and he was ready to be here. He knew he should be here. He felt he belonged here. There was no more wondering about the road through the minors, the one teammate Luis Maza knows all too well after ten long years.
Kershaw showed some big league jitters as it took him 32 pitches to get through the first inning, surrendering one run after Albert Pujols welcomed him to the big leagues with an RBI double. But Kershaw came back, firing high-octane fastballs at the hands, at the knees, at the Cardinals until their beaks were sawed off and their wings were clipped. This was Kershaw's ballgame.
Kershaw fanned seven over six innings of work, utterly dominating the St. Louis Cardinals notwithstanding a few chinks in the armor, allowing two earned runs in a no decision, one of which got on with a hit because first baseman James Loney lost a popup in the sun, only to have it come down and smack him square on top of the head. If that wasn't enough, St. Louis caught another break when Blake DeWitt came charging in on a chopper with a runner on third, but his throw home was high and Martin had to leap up to catch it, allowing Brian Barton to slide home safely with the second run of the game.
That would be the final inning for Kershaw in his debut, one of the biggest moments of his life was complete and he had passed it with ease. Fortunately for the Dodgers, Andre Eithier picked up the club and singled home Juan Pierre in the bottom of the tenth inning to give the Dodgers a 4-3 victory, avoiding a three game sweep.
But, naturally the game was all about Kershaw and the southpaw should be here to stay, as the Dodgers really have no other starter that deserves the fifth spot in the rotation more than Kershaw. The fastball popped and the curveball snapped just like they said it would. Kershaw is known for this two-pitch arsenal, but it only took a couple of innings into his big league career before we saw the first adjustment.
Yes, the fastball and curveball will always be his bread and butter, but it was apparent from the beginning that big league hitters are a little bit better at fighting off the good breaking pitches, when minor league hitters would usually swing and miss. A major league lineup can hit the fastball, and they can battle one offspeed pitch. That was the plan from the Cardinals' hitters from the start as they kept fouling off the breaking ball until they could get a rip at the fastball.
It was obvious that Kershaw would need a third offering to get him some easy outs, keep the pitch count down, and keep hitters honest and off of his breaking ball. That is when Russell Martin started throwing down the sign for the change up, a pitch that Kershaw never needed in high school, and seldom used in the minors. Surprisingly, well maybe we shouldn't be so surprised, Kershaw had a pretty good one of those too. His 85-86 mph change is certainly an average third pitch, and was extremely effective towards getting the opposing hitters out front and inducing weak ground balls. The change up was the reason why he didn't throw more than 12 pitches in any inning from the second through sixth, a much needed break after laboring in the first.
It could have been the 95-97 mph fastballs that Kershaw used to tie up right handed hitters, or the curveballs that he used to buckle lefthanders, that caused a sense of awe and astonishment while watching the rookie work. Or, in hindsight, it may have been the poise and the enjoyment Kershaw exuded on the mound. There was a distinct flair for the game, a rich enjoyment of baseball that crept onto mound at Dodger Stadium; this is the breath of fresh air that this club needs in order to become the championship club that it is capable of becoming.
Who would have thought that it would take a 20-year-old kid from deep in the heart of Texas, to come to the Dodgers stamped as baseball's next big thing, and show a struggling bunch of veterans what it means to believe in your talent and believe in your ability to get Major League hitters out? That is what I saw from Kershaw on this day. Of course he has the great pitches that very few will ever be able to throw, but does that really matter that much? No, because it is not as if Brand Penny, Derek Lowe , et al. are slugs.
It was about time Los Angeles got a taste of what is rightfully theirs, as much as Sunset Blvd. and the "Hollywood" sign. Hollywood is the passion that Clayton Kershaw is going to bring to this Dodgers rotation. Sunset Blvd. is the street that we can put the old ways and old schemes on, full of aging players who are holding budding superstars down, and push them right off into the distance, out of sight and out of mind.
As Clayton Kershaw left his swagger and his fastball on the field on Sunday, making his first indellible impression on the Dodgers faithful, the skyscrapers of downtown L.A. sat calmly behind Dodger Stadium, slightly shadowed by a plethora of clouds on this overcast afternoon. Kershaw stood as tall as those buildings and as easy as that overcast, spring breeze, as he took the Dodgers' future into his own hands and delivered his game to a team that was in dire need of a boost, to a city that has mastered the act of welcoming a phenom. Sunday was no different and, in the name of Vin Scully, it was about time.
The fans have been crying for his arrival since spring training when he dominated in big league camp, and even Dodger icon Vin Scully has been singing the kid's song since he dubbed the curveball, that was so good it buckled Sean Casey twice in the same at bat in a spring training game, "Public Enemy Number One". Only two years removed from high school baseball, it has been a mythical rise through the minor leagues for Kershaw. It was never a matter of "if", but only "when". The buzz has been rampant in Los Angeles from Opening Day, and general manager Ned Colletti has made it a daily habit of answering the next round of Kershaw questions.
Colletti stressed the importance of not rushing the kid and allowing him time for seasoning and development. Those explanations held hardly any water when word of Kershaw's latest dominant outing in Double-A Jacksonville surfaced at Chavez Ravine. It would be safe to say that Colletti's hand was forced when the Dodgers' entire starting rotation it seems has been in a month long funk, and forget about the number five starter. That has been nonexistent in a rotation that has asked Esteban Loaiza and Chan Ho Park to take their cracks at it.
And so it was, on Sunday, Memorial Day weekend, the kid from Highland Park, Texas, the phenom on a freight train from Jacksonville, arrived on baseball's biggest stage in a city with some of the brightest lights. This was not making your Major League debut for the Kansas City Royals in September when the club is 30 games out of first place and the fans are looking for football season. This is taking your first cracks at The Show in front of a passionate fan base, amidst a cry for help from the front office.
It wasn't meant to be like this, Clayton, with the weight of stabilizing the Dodgers' starting pitching on your shoulders from the get-go, but here you are and here's the ball anyways.
The kid arrived to the ballpark with family and friends in the stands, and put on his Los Angeles Dodgers uniform and headed for the bullpen to pull up the anchor on the ship and set this baby out to sea. It is time. Time to get this young, heralded career on the road.
Kershaw took the mound, cap pulled down over his eyes covering his easy going hair, pants loosely hanging down from his waist nestling on the top of his spikes, jersey comfortably draped over his broud shoulders and big league frame. And then he stared. He peered at the plate to get his first sign from catcher Russell Martin: a 93 mph fastball. He stared as he blew away Skip Schumaker with elevated 95 mph cheese, the first strikeout of his career, the first out of the ballgame.
The glare towards Schumaker as he plodded back to the dugout told us all we needed to know. The kid had arrived and he was ready to be here. He knew he should be here. He felt he belonged here. There was no more wondering about the road through the minors, the one teammate Luis Maza knows all too well after ten long years.
Kershaw showed some big league jitters as it took him 32 pitches to get through the first inning, surrendering one run after Albert Pujols welcomed him to the big leagues with an RBI double. But Kershaw came back, firing high-octane fastballs at the hands, at the knees, at the Cardinals until their beaks were sawed off and their wings were clipped. This was Kershaw's ballgame.
Kershaw fanned seven over six innings of work, utterly dominating the St. Louis Cardinals notwithstanding a few chinks in the armor, allowing two earned runs in a no decision, one of which got on with a hit because first baseman James Loney lost a popup in the sun, only to have it come down and smack him square on top of the head. If that wasn't enough, St. Louis caught another break when Blake DeWitt came charging in on a chopper with a runner on third, but his throw home was high and Martin had to leap up to catch it, allowing Brian Barton to slide home safely with the second run of the game.
That would be the final inning for Kershaw in his debut, one of the biggest moments of his life was complete and he had passed it with ease. Fortunately for the Dodgers, Andre Eithier picked up the club and singled home Juan Pierre in the bottom of the tenth inning to give the Dodgers a 4-3 victory, avoiding a three game sweep.
But, naturally the game was all about Kershaw and the southpaw should be here to stay, as the Dodgers really have no other starter that deserves the fifth spot in the rotation more than Kershaw. The fastball popped and the curveball snapped just like they said it would. Kershaw is known for this two-pitch arsenal, but it only took a couple of innings into his big league career before we saw the first adjustment.
Yes, the fastball and curveball will always be his bread and butter, but it was apparent from the beginning that big league hitters are a little bit better at fighting off the good breaking pitches, when minor league hitters would usually swing and miss. A major league lineup can hit the fastball, and they can battle one offspeed pitch. That was the plan from the Cardinals' hitters from the start as they kept fouling off the breaking ball until they could get a rip at the fastball.
It was obvious that Kershaw would need a third offering to get him some easy outs, keep the pitch count down, and keep hitters honest and off of his breaking ball. That is when Russell Martin started throwing down the sign for the change up, a pitch that Kershaw never needed in high school, and seldom used in the minors. Surprisingly, well maybe we shouldn't be so surprised, Kershaw had a pretty good one of those too. His 85-86 mph change is certainly an average third pitch, and was extremely effective towards getting the opposing hitters out front and inducing weak ground balls. The change up was the reason why he didn't throw more than 12 pitches in any inning from the second through sixth, a much needed break after laboring in the first.
It could have been the 95-97 mph fastballs that Kershaw used to tie up right handed hitters, or the curveballs that he used to buckle lefthanders, that caused a sense of awe and astonishment while watching the rookie work. Or, in hindsight, it may have been the poise and the enjoyment Kershaw exuded on the mound. There was a distinct flair for the game, a rich enjoyment of baseball that crept onto mound at Dodger Stadium; this is the breath of fresh air that this club needs in order to become the championship club that it is capable of becoming.
Who would have thought that it would take a 20-year-old kid from deep in the heart of Texas, to come to the Dodgers stamped as baseball's next big thing, and show a struggling bunch of veterans what it means to believe in your talent and believe in your ability to get Major League hitters out? That is what I saw from Kershaw on this day. Of course he has the great pitches that very few will ever be able to throw, but does that really matter that much? No, because it is not as if Brand Penny, Derek Lowe , et al. are slugs.
It was about time Los Angeles got a taste of what is rightfully theirs, as much as Sunset Blvd. and the "Hollywood" sign. Hollywood is the passion that Clayton Kershaw is going to bring to this Dodgers rotation. Sunset Blvd. is the street that we can put the old ways and old schemes on, full of aging players who are holding budding superstars down, and push them right off into the distance, out of sight and out of mind.
As Clayton Kershaw left his swagger and his fastball on the field on Sunday, making his first indellible impression on the Dodgers faithful, the skyscrapers of downtown L.A. sat calmly behind Dodger Stadium, slightly shadowed by a plethora of clouds on this overcast afternoon. Kershaw stood as tall as those buildings and as easy as that overcast, spring breeze, as he took the Dodgers' future into his own hands and delivered his game to a team that was in dire need of a boost, to a city that has mastered the act of welcoming a phenom. Sunday was no different and, in the name of Vin Scully, it was about time.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Tuesday morning briefing
1) There are great stories, there are classic stories, there are even stories for the ages. And, yet, this one doesn't fall under any of those. This story is nothing short of epic. What Jon Lester has accomplished, and experienced, by the age is 24 typically takes a full lifetime to achieve. Become a Major League ballplayer? Check. Be diagnosed with cancer... and win? Check. Win the clinching game of a World Series? Check. And, finally, throw a no-hitter in the Major Leagues? Check.
Lester fanned 9 over his complete game shutout Monday night as the southpaw no-hit the Kansas City Royals in front of a packed house-- no surpirse there-- at Fenway Park. He needed 130 pitches to do it, but it was the 130th-- a 96 mph fastball-- that was the most impressive.
Lester has come full circle with his life and his baseball career. He is no longer worrying about the status of his health or the strength of his arm. Both are right where they should be. You would think that a guy who is not quite used to being extended like this in his outings would have been gassed heading into the final innings.
Nope. Not Lester. Lester admitted that he couldn't even feel himself or his arm in the ninth inning because of the adrenaline that was pouring through his veins. The kid has been through too much to feel fatigue when on the cusp of another piece of baseball history, Red Sox lore. Want to talk about fatigue with Lester? Try bringing up the chemotherapy treatments he endured only a year ago, and then he may admit a little fatigue. But put that on the same scale with his outing last night, and 130 pitches is a leisurely stroll through the park.
This is indeed the best type of sports story anybody could write. It is not entirely everything that Lester has overcome and accomplished that makes him so likeable. The way he has handled it all at his age is what seals the deal for me. How much maturity and faith and perspective does it take for a 23 year old athlete, who is on the verge of doing big things on the biggest stage, to keep a positive attitude and a smile on his face when he is told that his body-- the indestructable specimen that it is-- is ill? His hopes and dreams of being a professional ballplayer and winning championships while playing in one of the most storied sports venues could all be crashing down because of a body and an immune system that failed him.
But, yet, that was not the case for one second with Jon Lester. I cannot fathom the composure that it takes to go about it the way he has. It was easy to root for the kid last October when he was standing on the mound in Coors Field, firing fastballs and sliders at the Rockies' hitters, putting the Red Sox on his back to the tune of the franchise's second title in four years. But looking at Lester last night was a little different.
The joy and flare that comes with his play is beloved and, even if you are not a Red Sox fan, a piece of you was with Lester when he was making those pitches in the ninth inning. I was not able to catch it live, but I was even a bit squirmish watching the highlight. The highlight, I tell you. I already know what happens. That is the magnitude of not only the no-hitter, but the story of Jon Lester which is seemingly only beginning. He may have only been a boy when diagnosed with cancer, but looking back on the class that he has exhibited in the last year, the trials and tribulations that have been conquered, Jon Lester is as much of a man as anyone around.
2) The greatest stroy in Los Angeles this spring has been the emergence of Blake DeWitt. DeWitt was not even suppossed to be in big league camp in spring training, but was sent over when the injury bug came crashing down on the Dodgers. Nomar Garciaparra was going to be the third baseman, but the oft-injured veteran has yet to be healthy for any extended length of time.
Andy LaRoche was, and to some degree still is, considered the third baseman of the future until he broke a finger and was about to miss the first two months of the season. So there it was, the job was DeWitt's by default. Going into Opening Day, Joe Torre sat the kid down and said make the routine plays at third and just don't hurt us. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to hit, what you give us will be a bonus.
Well here's your little bonues, Joe: Through 37 games, DeWitt is batting .322 with 4 homeruns, 23 RBIs, and 21 runs. The kid has gotten hits during the day, hits at night, hits in the clutch, and hits everywhere in between. He has showed good range and soft hands at third base, and the arm speaks for itself. When Rafael Furcal is at shortstop, I struggle to think of a left side of the infield that has better arms than the Dodgers' left side of the infield.
DeWitt was the man on Monday night against the Cincinnati Reds. The youngster came up with a big, two-out hit in the fifth inning of Monday's ballgame, bringing the Dodgers back from a 3-run deficit to tie the game at 5-5. That was nice, but there is more.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers' Russell Martin grounded to shortstop to lead off the inning, but rookie Paul Janish fired the ball into the dugout, allowing Martin to reach second base. Jeff Kent came up and sent a groundball to second base to move Martin over to third with one out. The Reds walk James Loney intentionally to set up the double play, and then say the heck with it, and put Kemp on as well since they would rather face DeWitt with the double play in order than Kemp. I don't really understand this since I think Kemp still has the urge to chase some pitches once in a while. They could have pitched carefully to him, getting him to chase and strike out or at the least take a bad swing on a bad pitch and hit a weak groundball or pop up. At the worst, you walk him and are in the same situation.
But with all of that aside, DeWitt is the man they want. He works the count, one of his strengths, before Reds' reliever Dave Weathers throws a fastball inside to back him off the plate. The pitch would have hit DeWitt in the hip, and the Dodgers would have went home with a victory. But DeWitt reacted and jumped out of the way of the pitch, his only blemish of the night, and immediately knew he made a mistake by not wearing the pitch.
With a 2-2 count, Weathers fired a two-seam fastball running away from DeWitt, who waited on it and stroke a line drive into left field-- identical to his hit in the fifth inning-- to drive home Martin, carrying the mail and winning run. LaRoche is healthy down in Triple-A and is wondering why he is not in the big leagues. Because of that, DeWitt is playing for his job every night and he keeps coming up with good games. I cannot think of another player who is on as short a leash as DeWitt. But yet it has failed to phase him, and the kid is becoming a fan favorite in L.A.
Lester fanned 9 over his complete game shutout Monday night as the southpaw no-hit the Kansas City Royals in front of a packed house-- no surpirse there-- at Fenway Park. He needed 130 pitches to do it, but it was the 130th-- a 96 mph fastball-- that was the most impressive.
Lester has come full circle with his life and his baseball career. He is no longer worrying about the status of his health or the strength of his arm. Both are right where they should be. You would think that a guy who is not quite used to being extended like this in his outings would have been gassed heading into the final innings.
Nope. Not Lester. Lester admitted that he couldn't even feel himself or his arm in the ninth inning because of the adrenaline that was pouring through his veins. The kid has been through too much to feel fatigue when on the cusp of another piece of baseball history, Red Sox lore. Want to talk about fatigue with Lester? Try bringing up the chemotherapy treatments he endured only a year ago, and then he may admit a little fatigue. But put that on the same scale with his outing last night, and 130 pitches is a leisurely stroll through the park.
This is indeed the best type of sports story anybody could write. It is not entirely everything that Lester has overcome and accomplished that makes him so likeable. The way he has handled it all at his age is what seals the deal for me. How much maturity and faith and perspective does it take for a 23 year old athlete, who is on the verge of doing big things on the biggest stage, to keep a positive attitude and a smile on his face when he is told that his body-- the indestructable specimen that it is-- is ill? His hopes and dreams of being a professional ballplayer and winning championships while playing in one of the most storied sports venues could all be crashing down because of a body and an immune system that failed him.
But, yet, that was not the case for one second with Jon Lester. I cannot fathom the composure that it takes to go about it the way he has. It was easy to root for the kid last October when he was standing on the mound in Coors Field, firing fastballs and sliders at the Rockies' hitters, putting the Red Sox on his back to the tune of the franchise's second title in four years. But looking at Lester last night was a little different.
The joy and flare that comes with his play is beloved and, even if you are not a Red Sox fan, a piece of you was with Lester when he was making those pitches in the ninth inning. I was not able to catch it live, but I was even a bit squirmish watching the highlight. The highlight, I tell you. I already know what happens. That is the magnitude of not only the no-hitter, but the story of Jon Lester which is seemingly only beginning. He may have only been a boy when diagnosed with cancer, but looking back on the class that he has exhibited in the last year, the trials and tribulations that have been conquered, Jon Lester is as much of a man as anyone around.
2) The greatest stroy in Los Angeles this spring has been the emergence of Blake DeWitt. DeWitt was not even suppossed to be in big league camp in spring training, but was sent over when the injury bug came crashing down on the Dodgers. Nomar Garciaparra was going to be the third baseman, but the oft-injured veteran has yet to be healthy for any extended length of time.
Andy LaRoche was, and to some degree still is, considered the third baseman of the future until he broke a finger and was about to miss the first two months of the season. So there it was, the job was DeWitt's by default. Going into Opening Day, Joe Torre sat the kid down and said make the routine plays at third and just don't hurt us. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to hit, what you give us will be a bonus.
Well here's your little bonues, Joe: Through 37 games, DeWitt is batting .322 with 4 homeruns, 23 RBIs, and 21 runs. The kid has gotten hits during the day, hits at night, hits in the clutch, and hits everywhere in between. He has showed good range and soft hands at third base, and the arm speaks for itself. When Rafael Furcal is at shortstop, I struggle to think of a left side of the infield that has better arms than the Dodgers' left side of the infield.
DeWitt was the man on Monday night against the Cincinnati Reds. The youngster came up with a big, two-out hit in the fifth inning of Monday's ballgame, bringing the Dodgers back from a 3-run deficit to tie the game at 5-5. That was nice, but there is more.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers' Russell Martin grounded to shortstop to lead off the inning, but rookie Paul Janish fired the ball into the dugout, allowing Martin to reach second base. Jeff Kent came up and sent a groundball to second base to move Martin over to third with one out. The Reds walk James Loney intentionally to set up the double play, and then say the heck with it, and put Kemp on as well since they would rather face DeWitt with the double play in order than Kemp. I don't really understand this since I think Kemp still has the urge to chase some pitches once in a while. They could have pitched carefully to him, getting him to chase and strike out or at the least take a bad swing on a bad pitch and hit a weak groundball or pop up. At the worst, you walk him and are in the same situation.
But with all of that aside, DeWitt is the man they want. He works the count, one of his strengths, before Reds' reliever Dave Weathers throws a fastball inside to back him off the plate. The pitch would have hit DeWitt in the hip, and the Dodgers would have went home with a victory. But DeWitt reacted and jumped out of the way of the pitch, his only blemish of the night, and immediately knew he made a mistake by not wearing the pitch.
With a 2-2 count, Weathers fired a two-seam fastball running away from DeWitt, who waited on it and stroke a line drive into left field-- identical to his hit in the fifth inning-- to drive home Martin, carrying the mail and winning run. LaRoche is healthy down in Triple-A and is wondering why he is not in the big leagues. Because of that, DeWitt is playing for his job every night and he keeps coming up with good games. I cannot think of another player who is on as short a leash as DeWitt. But yet it has failed to phase him, and the kid is becoming a fan favorite in L.A.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Ballpark Banter-Saturday's cup of coffee
1) Hank Steinbrenner really would have squirmed in his office Saturday afternoon if Johan Santana turned in a complete game shutout and struck out 12 batters-- something along those lines. That was not what happened as the Mets and Yankees officially opened the Subway Series on Saturday, thanks to Friday's rainout, but Santana did the job for his New York team.
Santana took the ball for 7 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs and striking out 5 in a 7-4 Mets victory. This was not the typical Johan Santana that we are accustomed to, the one who gets hitters looking at a blazing fastball on a corner, or the guy who demoralizes big league hitters for a living with a change up that's meant to tease. No the stuff wasn't that good Saturday-- Santana gave up three homeruns and walked a couple of batters.
But of course it is easy to like a guy when everything is going right and he is performing to his fullest. It is easy to love the game when you are crushing every ball that comes over the plate or you are locating your best fastball and sharpest breaking ball with ease. But, fact of the matter is, that is not baseball at all. Much of the season is driven by failures and struggles-- the guys who turn in the good numbers at the end of the year are the ones who figure out how to endure their less-than-best.
In that regard, that is what Johan Santana did today. He was a professional who battled and ended up giving his team a great chance to win. There were not zeros across the scoreboard like there are in some of his starts, but that is not the telltale sign of a pitcher. The fact that Santana could keep a lineup at bay and eat innings is what makes him an ace. On his best days, you can forget about it. On his off days, he will at least give the bullpen some time to rest. That is what makes him arguably the best pitcher in the game, and certainly one of the top three pitchers in the game.
Ironically, the Yankees saw first hand exaclty what they have not been able to capture this season. Andy Pettitte was the hardluck loser, as he threw well-- 6 innings, 3 runs, 7 strikeouts. On a day when he needed a little pick-me-up, his offense didn't have his back. That is part of the game and is not the first or last time that he will probably lose when, in reality, he pitched well enough to win.
But here lies the reason why the Yankees have been inconsistent this season: There starting pitchers either throw great games and three runs is plenty to win, or they are terrible and even one of baseball's best offenses is stifled before it gets through the order twice. These inconsistencies can be chalked up to the Yankees having to rely so much on young, unproven, talent, but that is the distinct difference.
Whether the Yankees' front office realized it, or the fans in the stands realized it, does not cover up the fact that what makes Santana so great is not necessarily the great games he pitches, but the mediocre games that he sticks around, hangs around, toughs it out, and before he knows it, he is handing the ball off to his closer with a lead. That is what is spearating the Yankees from being an average club and being a great club right now. They don't have to have a star-studded starting rotation. What does need to happen, though, is their pitchers need to learn to eat up innings and give the offense a chance to pull a ballgame out on the days that they are not sharp. Until then, this team is going to continue to fiddle around .500 and Boss Jr. isn't going to be happy.
Miscellaneous Notes:
The Rays dropped a game, 9-8, to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, but it took extra innings for the Cards to hold them off. Down 7-3 after five innings, the Rays clawed back to tie the ballgame in the 8th inning, backed by a strong day from Carl Crawford. It took Ryan Ludwick's second homer of the game, giving him 10 on the season, to send the St. Louis faithful home happy. The second loss in the last 10 games for the Rays should not get be a downer-- they continue to show the resiliency that playoff-caliber clubs possess, and that is what they need to keep at the forefront in order to keep the franchise moving forward.
It is safe to say that Alfonso Soriano is heating up. The slugger went 5-for-5 on Saturday with two homeruns and three RBIs. This is Soriano's second consecutive multi-homerun game, and he now has seven bombs in his last 6 ballgames. It is imperative for the Cubs that Soriano continues to hit. He will not keep up this pace, naturally, but hopefully this last week is a sign that he has found his groove and is ready to be the premier power hitter that he is capable of being. What is impressive, or frightening if you are a National League Central opponent, is that the Cubs held the fort down pretty well when Soriano couldn't hit a lick in the first month of the season. Now we can see how exciting this lineup can be with Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, and Fukudome driving in plenty of runs. As long as Carlos Zambrano stays healthy over the long haul and Kerry Wood stabilizes the closer role-- this would allow the Cubs to keep dynamic set-up man Carlos Marmol in the 7th/8th inning role where he is much more valuable-- the Cubbies will be shortening ballgames and stockpiling the W's throughout the summer.
Kids, don't try this at home. But you have to love baseball players and their outlandish superstitions, right? This adds something to the game of baseball, I just can't quite put my finger on it at the moment, although I'm sure words will come to me at some point in my lifetime to define and/or describe these types of actions... I hope.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8149726/Giambi,-other-Yanks-use-thong-as-slump-antidote
Santana took the ball for 7 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs and striking out 5 in a 7-4 Mets victory. This was not the typical Johan Santana that we are accustomed to, the one who gets hitters looking at a blazing fastball on a corner, or the guy who demoralizes big league hitters for a living with a change up that's meant to tease. No the stuff wasn't that good Saturday-- Santana gave up three homeruns and walked a couple of batters.
But of course it is easy to like a guy when everything is going right and he is performing to his fullest. It is easy to love the game when you are crushing every ball that comes over the plate or you are locating your best fastball and sharpest breaking ball with ease. But, fact of the matter is, that is not baseball at all. Much of the season is driven by failures and struggles-- the guys who turn in the good numbers at the end of the year are the ones who figure out how to endure their less-than-best.
In that regard, that is what Johan Santana did today. He was a professional who battled and ended up giving his team a great chance to win. There were not zeros across the scoreboard like there are in some of his starts, but that is not the telltale sign of a pitcher. The fact that Santana could keep a lineup at bay and eat innings is what makes him an ace. On his best days, you can forget about it. On his off days, he will at least give the bullpen some time to rest. That is what makes him arguably the best pitcher in the game, and certainly one of the top three pitchers in the game.
Ironically, the Yankees saw first hand exaclty what they have not been able to capture this season. Andy Pettitte was the hardluck loser, as he threw well-- 6 innings, 3 runs, 7 strikeouts. On a day when he needed a little pick-me-up, his offense didn't have his back. That is part of the game and is not the first or last time that he will probably lose when, in reality, he pitched well enough to win.
But here lies the reason why the Yankees have been inconsistent this season: There starting pitchers either throw great games and three runs is plenty to win, or they are terrible and even one of baseball's best offenses is stifled before it gets through the order twice. These inconsistencies can be chalked up to the Yankees having to rely so much on young, unproven, talent, but that is the distinct difference.
Whether the Yankees' front office realized it, or the fans in the stands realized it, does not cover up the fact that what makes Santana so great is not necessarily the great games he pitches, but the mediocre games that he sticks around, hangs around, toughs it out, and before he knows it, he is handing the ball off to his closer with a lead. That is what is spearating the Yankees from being an average club and being a great club right now. They don't have to have a star-studded starting rotation. What does need to happen, though, is their pitchers need to learn to eat up innings and give the offense a chance to pull a ballgame out on the days that they are not sharp. Until then, this team is going to continue to fiddle around .500 and Boss Jr. isn't going to be happy.
Miscellaneous Notes:
The Rays dropped a game, 9-8, to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, but it took extra innings for the Cards to hold them off. Down 7-3 after five innings, the Rays clawed back to tie the ballgame in the 8th inning, backed by a strong day from Carl Crawford. It took Ryan Ludwick's second homer of the game, giving him 10 on the season, to send the St. Louis faithful home happy. The second loss in the last 10 games for the Rays should not get be a downer-- they continue to show the resiliency that playoff-caliber clubs possess, and that is what they need to keep at the forefront in order to keep the franchise moving forward.
It is safe to say that Alfonso Soriano is heating up. The slugger went 5-for-5 on Saturday with two homeruns and three RBIs. This is Soriano's second consecutive multi-homerun game, and he now has seven bombs in his last 6 ballgames. It is imperative for the Cubs that Soriano continues to hit. He will not keep up this pace, naturally, but hopefully this last week is a sign that he has found his groove and is ready to be the premier power hitter that he is capable of being. What is impressive, or frightening if you are a National League Central opponent, is that the Cubs held the fort down pretty well when Soriano couldn't hit a lick in the first month of the season. Now we can see how exciting this lineup can be with Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, and Fukudome driving in plenty of runs. As long as Carlos Zambrano stays healthy over the long haul and Kerry Wood stabilizes the closer role-- this would allow the Cubs to keep dynamic set-up man Carlos Marmol in the 7th/8th inning role where he is much more valuable-- the Cubbies will be shortening ballgames and stockpiling the W's throughout the summer.
Kids, don't try this at home. But you have to love baseball players and their outlandish superstitions, right? This adds something to the game of baseball, I just can't quite put my finger on it at the moment, although I'm sure words will come to me at some point in my lifetime to define and/or describe these types of actions... I hope.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8149726/Giambi,-other-Yanks-use-thong-as-slump-antidote
Friday, May 16, 2008
Ballpark Banter- Contracts
1) The Tampa Bay Rays, in an effort to stabilize their long term future, extended ace Scott Kazmir with another 3 years and $28 million. This is the trend that baseball teams are taking now with their bright, young stars in order to save money in the long term and prevent them from testing the free agent market. Kazmir is the first pitcher to be given an extension like this, and here lies the difference in the deals. Clubs are reluctant to extend a pitcher to long because of the always present risk of blowing out an elbow or a shoulder. Position players get the mega bucks and the longer deals because there is a better chance they will stay on the field, let alone the fact that they play every day and not once every five days.
With that aside, I like this deal for the Rays for two reasons. First, is the money, which is fairly obvious. By extending Kazmir, this will delay the lefty testing the free agent market, where he would command upwards of $10 million per year. Fact is, with the way the market has exploded in today's game, Kazmir would probably be looking around $14 million per year, for starters. He does not have the track record of a Johan Santana, so the 9-figure deal would probably not be in order.
But who knows, I could be selling him short at $14 million per year. There is much anticipation about the inevitable splash C.C. Sabathia is going to make on the free agent market this winter, and rumors are flying around about him getting possibly as much as $20 million per year. I don't think either one of these guys is in Santana's class, and therefore should not command top dollar. But is Kazmir really that far off from Sabathia's level? Stuff wise, I think they are pretty comparable, and we know both of them can be electric on any given night. It would be intresting to see where Kazmir's price tag would fall this winter when both he and Sabathia are on the market. My guess would be he would come in a few million per year under Sabathia.
Secondly, I like this deal for the Rays because now they have a great foundation at the top of the rotation to build on. They locked up James Shields earlier this year, and now with Kazmir locked up long term, they have two guys that they know will give them a chance to win every time they take the ball. The hype surrounding Tampa's farm system, primarily their stable of pitchers, is incredible, and this deal helps give them a safety net while they begin the process of weaving their young kids into the major league rotation.
They already have Edwin Jackson on the big club, and he will have some growing pains that they must endure, although he has looked great for the most part this season. But you know the story with young pitchers-- inconsistencies will harp on them in the early going and command will downplay their arsenal, to some degree. Most pitchers need to have some success, then go through a little period of regression, or failure, before they can bounce back and reach their full potential. It is part of the maturing process that Price, Davis, McGee et al. will undergo at some point.
And I like this deal for Kazmir because of the security, let alone the money he is making. It is hard to keep these things in perspective sometimes because professional athletes make an unfathomable amount of money. But there is no way I would pass up $28 million to play baseball for three seasons. That's just me.
There is a key difference between Kazmir and the aforementioned Sabathia, and it is exaclty the reason why it was a wise move for Kazmir to opt for security. Sabathia is a horse who is going to eat a ton of innings while being an All-Star caliber starting pitcher. Kazmir has the same potential, but he has a little bit of injury history attached to his name and he hasn't come close to reaching Sabathia's inning totals over the last two seasons combined. With that factored in, and make no mistake it is a huge part, Kazmir is more of a long term risk and therefore will benefit from taking this deal now instead of trying to tread water until he becomes a free agent.
2) The most recent young position player to be locked up by his club is Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, who inked an 8-year, $48 million deal to make him, along with Prince Fielder, the future of the franchise in Milwaukee. Braun joins Troy Tulowitzki and Hanley Ramirez as budding superstars who signed long term contracts this season.
This is a great sign for the Brewers because they are getting eight seasons worth of production from a player who would already command more than $6 million per year on the free agent market. As long as Braun progresses like he is expected to and Prince Fielder stays healthy and keeps slugging homeruns, the Brewers have a bright spot to build upon. If Rickie Weeks ever scratches the surface of the type of player that he is capable of becoming-- which I think he will-- this is not going to be a fun lineup to pitch to. They will rival the Cubs for the best lineup in the division, unless Jay Bruce, Joey Votto and Co. of the Reds have something to say about it.
This deal falls right in the middle of the Tulowitzki and Hanley Ramirez deals. Ramirez' contract can be thrown right out of the window because Braun and Tulowitzki cannot match his overall offensive package. Ramirez may be as dynamic a bat as any in baseball, with his speed and power combo a rare treat to baseball fans. Braun will hit homeruns and drive in runs, and that is what the Brewers have now paid him hansomely to do.
I think the Rockies got a better deal for Tulowitzki, mainly because they are going to pay him $17 million less than the Brewers will play Braun when these deals expire. But the difference is that the Rockies locked up a player who excels at arguably the toughest position in all of baseball for six seasons and will pay him less per year than the Brewers will pay Braun to play an adequate outfield.
But, of course, the two less years could come back to haunt the Rockies as long as Tulowitzki rebounds from this leg injury and proceeds to be the superstar that we have already seen doses of. If that is the case, Tulowitzki will begin the talks at $100 million for his next contract, and I hate to put this type of burden and dolalrs on a young kid, but, overall, he could be a better player than Derek Jeter at the same age. And Jeter got $189 million over ten seasons from the Yankees.
Braun got more money is his deal, but gave up two more free agent seasons, which is the bargain the two sides agreed upon, rightfully so. All of these words are contigent upon the fact that Braun holds up his part of the deal and becomes an elite bat at the major league level over the course of this contract. If he does that, he will be in line for a huge payday, like Tulowitki will be, and the Brewers will have gotten a steal for their money.
With that aside, I like this deal for the Rays for two reasons. First, is the money, which is fairly obvious. By extending Kazmir, this will delay the lefty testing the free agent market, where he would command upwards of $10 million per year. Fact is, with the way the market has exploded in today's game, Kazmir would probably be looking around $14 million per year, for starters. He does not have the track record of a Johan Santana, so the 9-figure deal would probably not be in order.
But who knows, I could be selling him short at $14 million per year. There is much anticipation about the inevitable splash C.C. Sabathia is going to make on the free agent market this winter, and rumors are flying around about him getting possibly as much as $20 million per year. I don't think either one of these guys is in Santana's class, and therefore should not command top dollar. But is Kazmir really that far off from Sabathia's level? Stuff wise, I think they are pretty comparable, and we know both of them can be electric on any given night. It would be intresting to see where Kazmir's price tag would fall this winter when both he and Sabathia are on the market. My guess would be he would come in a few million per year under Sabathia.
Secondly, I like this deal for the Rays because now they have a great foundation at the top of the rotation to build on. They locked up James Shields earlier this year, and now with Kazmir locked up long term, they have two guys that they know will give them a chance to win every time they take the ball. The hype surrounding Tampa's farm system, primarily their stable of pitchers, is incredible, and this deal helps give them a safety net while they begin the process of weaving their young kids into the major league rotation.
They already have Edwin Jackson on the big club, and he will have some growing pains that they must endure, although he has looked great for the most part this season. But you know the story with young pitchers-- inconsistencies will harp on them in the early going and command will downplay their arsenal, to some degree. Most pitchers need to have some success, then go through a little period of regression, or failure, before they can bounce back and reach their full potential. It is part of the maturing process that Price, Davis, McGee et al. will undergo at some point.
And I like this deal for Kazmir because of the security, let alone the money he is making. It is hard to keep these things in perspective sometimes because professional athletes make an unfathomable amount of money. But there is no way I would pass up $28 million to play baseball for three seasons. That's just me.
There is a key difference between Kazmir and the aforementioned Sabathia, and it is exaclty the reason why it was a wise move for Kazmir to opt for security. Sabathia is a horse who is going to eat a ton of innings while being an All-Star caliber starting pitcher. Kazmir has the same potential, but he has a little bit of injury history attached to his name and he hasn't come close to reaching Sabathia's inning totals over the last two seasons combined. With that factored in, and make no mistake it is a huge part, Kazmir is more of a long term risk and therefore will benefit from taking this deal now instead of trying to tread water until he becomes a free agent.
2) The most recent young position player to be locked up by his club is Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, who inked an 8-year, $48 million deal to make him, along with Prince Fielder, the future of the franchise in Milwaukee. Braun joins Troy Tulowitzki and Hanley Ramirez as budding superstars who signed long term contracts this season.
This is a great sign for the Brewers because they are getting eight seasons worth of production from a player who would already command more than $6 million per year on the free agent market. As long as Braun progresses like he is expected to and Prince Fielder stays healthy and keeps slugging homeruns, the Brewers have a bright spot to build upon. If Rickie Weeks ever scratches the surface of the type of player that he is capable of becoming-- which I think he will-- this is not going to be a fun lineup to pitch to. They will rival the Cubs for the best lineup in the division, unless Jay Bruce, Joey Votto and Co. of the Reds have something to say about it.
This deal falls right in the middle of the Tulowitzki and Hanley Ramirez deals. Ramirez' contract can be thrown right out of the window because Braun and Tulowitzki cannot match his overall offensive package. Ramirez may be as dynamic a bat as any in baseball, with his speed and power combo a rare treat to baseball fans. Braun will hit homeruns and drive in runs, and that is what the Brewers have now paid him hansomely to do.
I think the Rockies got a better deal for Tulowitzki, mainly because they are going to pay him $17 million less than the Brewers will play Braun when these deals expire. But the difference is that the Rockies locked up a player who excels at arguably the toughest position in all of baseball for six seasons and will pay him less per year than the Brewers will pay Braun to play an adequate outfield.
But, of course, the two less years could come back to haunt the Rockies as long as Tulowitzki rebounds from this leg injury and proceeds to be the superstar that we have already seen doses of. If that is the case, Tulowitzki will begin the talks at $100 million for his next contract, and I hate to put this type of burden and dolalrs on a young kid, but, overall, he could be a better player than Derek Jeter at the same age. And Jeter got $189 million over ten seasons from the Yankees.
Braun got more money is his deal, but gave up two more free agent seasons, which is the bargain the two sides agreed upon, rightfully so. All of these words are contigent upon the fact that Braun holds up his part of the deal and becomes an elite bat at the major league level over the course of this contract. If he does that, he will be in line for a huge payday, like Tulowitki will be, and the Brewers will have gotten a steal for their money.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Wednesday morning briefing
1) Hank Steinbrenner has wasted no time in building himself a reputation while at the helm of the New York Yankees; that reputation is based on proverbial sound bites, some simply to speak his mind, and others to light a fire undenearth the cash-rich ballclub that he is running. Another one of those media outbursts arrived after the Yankees lost another game to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday evening. Some words directly from Steinbrenner:
"The bottom line is that the team is not playing the way it is capable of playing. These players are being paid a lot of money and they had better decide for themselves to earn that money."
"This is going to get turned around. If it's not turned around this year, then it will be turned around next year, by force if we have to."
"We have good professional hitters and I have a lot of faith in them. I'm not saying they are not giving the effort, but they need to be playing harder."
Most of the time, the words that come from Steinbrenner are taken in the same light as all the rants that we have witnessed in past years from his father. They are frustration, disappointment, and panic wrapped up into one. I do not think that ripping the ballclub publicly is the way to handle a slump or a slow start or a sluggish offense. That typicall creates drama within the clubhouse, wasted energy that should be directed towards winning baseball games.
But, of course, it is always more complicated than what the public eye is allowed to see. Should all things be kept in house? Not sure, but that is arguable, although with the depth of media coverage in the game today, it is unlikely. Thing is, I understand that making some comments to the media often times will get a team going because they will know that the front office is not satisfied with the product that has been on the field. For this to be effective, it must be done in a professional manner and it must be constructive criticism, not demeaning verbal abuse.
With that in mind, I am in line with what Hank did this time around. I have no problem with him going to the media and voicing his displeasures. He did not bash anyone, but simply stated his expectations of the ballclub, in a manner that was meant to jolt a stagnant baseball team. This was not a vengeance-filled rant, but rather a stern talk with motivation as the desired goal.
The Yankees dropped two games under .500 with their most recent loss to the Rays, and are now 4.5 games behind Tampa Bay for the division lead. Their 169 runs scored through May 13th ranks only 8th best in the American League, let alone all of baseball. Remember, this is the New York Yankees; a club who is built on a high-powered offense and run production is the MO.
Yes, there have been an abundance of injuries to this lineup. Derek Jeter missed some games with a leg injury and now Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, two staples of the lineup, are missing an extended amount of games at the same time. Those factors alone can cause for a drought in production, and that is without even mentioning Robinson Cano's indiscernible bat.
But, frankly, Hank Steinbrenner hit this nail right on the head. The club has had to endure injuries and slumps, but who doesn't? This team has looked sluggish at the plate and mediocre on the mound. There are plenty of veteran players on the roster making a lot of money who need to step up and pick up the slack until A-Rod and Posada return to the field and the rotation finds its groove. There is no excuse for playing .500 ball, let alone sub-.500 ball, if you are the New York Yankees. Too many dollars are spent to put a winner on the field, and at some point in time, it comes down to hunger and drive and tenacity and sheer will to complete a task.
Subsequently, I do not think the Yankees struggles have been from a lack of effort on the field, and that is the one part where Hank is off base in this new batch of quotes. It is not right for him tell his players through the media that they are not playing hard, because in reality, they are professionals with a lot of pride who are not out there to lose baseball games. More importantly, Hank has no idea what it is like to play the game, let alone play it at the major league level. He has no experience of hitting a big league fastball or trying to get Manny Ramirez out, and therefore cannot fathom what it feels like to struggle on a baseball field. That is the dividing line between Hank and the players and is the reason this type of scare-tactic is never really recieved the way it was intended to be.
2) It is funny how a team, with high expectations, can go from unbelievably hot to inconceivably cold in a matter of a week. That is what has happened with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It is difficult to figure out what to make of this Dodgers club because they have pieces in place and all facets of the game are at least average if not better. This club has pitching, hitting, defense, a good mix of youth and veteran talent, a great manager, and a productive clubhouse atmosphere. And yet they have lost their last five ballgames. So what gives?
The Dodgers have only scored ten runs in their last five games, with James Loney's Mother's Day blast the only homerun in that stretch. It is apparent that since Rafael Furcal has been out with a hurt back, he is not elgible to come off the DL until next week, the offense has sputtered and the runs hopped on the first train out of town. Juan Pierre needs to get on base to be the catalyst-- in the last five games, he has been on base only four times out of his 21 plate appearances, although he has stolen two bases when he got on.
Matt Kemp and James Loney are a combined 10-for-37 in the last five games, so they are not exactly struggling. But when Andruw Jones is nonexistent and Furcal is not on base to score runs, Kemp And Loney have to pick up the slack left from Jeff Kent for run production. Loney and Kemp are the staple of the middle of this order for years to come, whether they like it or not. They need to hit more homeruns than they have, but they are young, and all signs point towards the fact that the homerun totals will rise.
Russell Martin is an excellent hitting catcher, but he is a complementary offensive player. In a lineup of other sluggers and on-base rats, Martin is awesome because he will play off of the success of the other hitters. He can drive in runs when guys are on base and he can work the count and and steal a bag or two when the team needs baserunners. But if he is left stranded on the island, his offensive package is completely exposed. Martin is stuck in between molds. He is not a guy with tremendous speed like a Jose Reyes, who can get on base and cause havoc and jumpstart an offense that way, and he is not a big bopper like Albert Pujols who will hit enough homeruns, and therefore drive himself in enough times, to carry a stuggling club on his back.
With all of that being said, the starting pitching has been the downfall. Brad Penny, the needed rock of the rotation, has watched his ERA rise above 5.00 due to a couple of recent shaky outings, and Derek Lowe is averaging less than 6 innings per start when he is supposed to be the sinker-baller who takes the ball into the eighth inning and gives the bullpen a rest.
These team-wide droughts are typical of any club for a long baseball season, and the Dodgers should return to form sooner rather than later. Hopefully for them, their starters begin to eat up innings again and their hitters find their swings while they still are reasonably close to the Arizona Diamonbacks in the National League West. At 4.5 games back of Arizona, there still is time to write this Hollywood script and pen the ending in any fashion they please.
"The bottom line is that the team is not playing the way it is capable of playing. These players are being paid a lot of money and they had better decide for themselves to earn that money."
"This is going to get turned around. If it's not turned around this year, then it will be turned around next year, by force if we have to."
"We have good professional hitters and I have a lot of faith in them. I'm not saying they are not giving the effort, but they need to be playing harder."
Most of the time, the words that come from Steinbrenner are taken in the same light as all the rants that we have witnessed in past years from his father. They are frustration, disappointment, and panic wrapped up into one. I do not think that ripping the ballclub publicly is the way to handle a slump or a slow start or a sluggish offense. That typicall creates drama within the clubhouse, wasted energy that should be directed towards winning baseball games.
But, of course, it is always more complicated than what the public eye is allowed to see. Should all things be kept in house? Not sure, but that is arguable, although with the depth of media coverage in the game today, it is unlikely. Thing is, I understand that making some comments to the media often times will get a team going because they will know that the front office is not satisfied with the product that has been on the field. For this to be effective, it must be done in a professional manner and it must be constructive criticism, not demeaning verbal abuse.
With that in mind, I am in line with what Hank did this time around. I have no problem with him going to the media and voicing his displeasures. He did not bash anyone, but simply stated his expectations of the ballclub, in a manner that was meant to jolt a stagnant baseball team. This was not a vengeance-filled rant, but rather a stern talk with motivation as the desired goal.
The Yankees dropped two games under .500 with their most recent loss to the Rays, and are now 4.5 games behind Tampa Bay for the division lead. Their 169 runs scored through May 13th ranks only 8th best in the American League, let alone all of baseball. Remember, this is the New York Yankees; a club who is built on a high-powered offense and run production is the MO.
Yes, there have been an abundance of injuries to this lineup. Derek Jeter missed some games with a leg injury and now Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, two staples of the lineup, are missing an extended amount of games at the same time. Those factors alone can cause for a drought in production, and that is without even mentioning Robinson Cano's indiscernible bat.
But, frankly, Hank Steinbrenner hit this nail right on the head. The club has had to endure injuries and slumps, but who doesn't? This team has looked sluggish at the plate and mediocre on the mound. There are plenty of veteran players on the roster making a lot of money who need to step up and pick up the slack until A-Rod and Posada return to the field and the rotation finds its groove. There is no excuse for playing .500 ball, let alone sub-.500 ball, if you are the New York Yankees. Too many dollars are spent to put a winner on the field, and at some point in time, it comes down to hunger and drive and tenacity and sheer will to complete a task.
Subsequently, I do not think the Yankees struggles have been from a lack of effort on the field, and that is the one part where Hank is off base in this new batch of quotes. It is not right for him tell his players through the media that they are not playing hard, because in reality, they are professionals with a lot of pride who are not out there to lose baseball games. More importantly, Hank has no idea what it is like to play the game, let alone play it at the major league level. He has no experience of hitting a big league fastball or trying to get Manny Ramirez out, and therefore cannot fathom what it feels like to struggle on a baseball field. That is the dividing line between Hank and the players and is the reason this type of scare-tactic is never really recieved the way it was intended to be.
2) It is funny how a team, with high expectations, can go from unbelievably hot to inconceivably cold in a matter of a week. That is what has happened with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It is difficult to figure out what to make of this Dodgers club because they have pieces in place and all facets of the game are at least average if not better. This club has pitching, hitting, defense, a good mix of youth and veteran talent, a great manager, and a productive clubhouse atmosphere. And yet they have lost their last five ballgames. So what gives?
The Dodgers have only scored ten runs in their last five games, with James Loney's Mother's Day blast the only homerun in that stretch. It is apparent that since Rafael Furcal has been out with a hurt back, he is not elgible to come off the DL until next week, the offense has sputtered and the runs hopped on the first train out of town. Juan Pierre needs to get on base to be the catalyst-- in the last five games, he has been on base only four times out of his 21 plate appearances, although he has stolen two bases when he got on.
Matt Kemp and James Loney are a combined 10-for-37 in the last five games, so they are not exactly struggling. But when Andruw Jones is nonexistent and Furcal is not on base to score runs, Kemp And Loney have to pick up the slack left from Jeff Kent for run production. Loney and Kemp are the staple of the middle of this order for years to come, whether they like it or not. They need to hit more homeruns than they have, but they are young, and all signs point towards the fact that the homerun totals will rise.
Russell Martin is an excellent hitting catcher, but he is a complementary offensive player. In a lineup of other sluggers and on-base rats, Martin is awesome because he will play off of the success of the other hitters. He can drive in runs when guys are on base and he can work the count and and steal a bag or two when the team needs baserunners. But if he is left stranded on the island, his offensive package is completely exposed. Martin is stuck in between molds. He is not a guy with tremendous speed like a Jose Reyes, who can get on base and cause havoc and jumpstart an offense that way, and he is not a big bopper like Albert Pujols who will hit enough homeruns, and therefore drive himself in enough times, to carry a stuggling club on his back.
With all of that being said, the starting pitching has been the downfall. Brad Penny, the needed rock of the rotation, has watched his ERA rise above 5.00 due to a couple of recent shaky outings, and Derek Lowe is averaging less than 6 innings per start when he is supposed to be the sinker-baller who takes the ball into the eighth inning and gives the bullpen a rest.
These team-wide droughts are typical of any club for a long baseball season, and the Dodgers should return to form sooner rather than later. Hopefully for them, their starters begin to eat up innings again and their hitters find their swings while they still are reasonably close to the Arizona Diamonbacks in the National League West. At 4.5 games back of Arizona, there still is time to write this Hollywood script and pen the ending in any fashion they please.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Tuesday morning briefing
1) The Tampa Bay Rays just keep on ticking, ticking to the tune of a 22-16 record and a half game behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League East. The Rays pounded the Yankees, 7-1, on Monday evening behind a strong performance from Matt Garza. The win put them six wins over .500 for the first time in club history, and also increased their home winning streak to ten games, another club record.
Garza tossed 7 scoreless innings, surrendering five hits and striking out three batters, lowering his season ERA to 3.86. Garza appears to trending upward as his last three starts have been quality starts, shaking early season inconsistencies. This guy is a special young talent, simply another piece to go along with the horde of great arms that this ballclub is stockpiling.
Many observers still share a hint of skepticism about these Rays, for fear of fully believing, only to be let down after the All-Star break when the team crumbles. That isn't going to happen. These guys are for real, and that is because they have a stable of exciting, young players who are playing like a cohesive unit. I'm not saying that these Rays are playoff-bound, nothing is being guaranteed here.
Would it surprise me if they win the AL East? Yeah, a little bit. Would it surprise me if they win the AL Wildcard? Not at all. It all starts with the pitching. The aforementioned Garza is a great number three guy, and if he continues his trend of strong starts, this rotaton may be headed to greater heights than the one up North-- you know, the one with Josh Beckett and all. James Shields has really emerged as an above-average Major League pitcher-- I don't believe he is a star, or has reached elite status, yet-- and has done a great job of picking up the slack while the Rays were awaiting the return of Scott Kazmir.
Kazmir is back and pitching at the top of the rotation, and he will be great once he gets a few starts under his belt and his arm gets into midseason form. If anything falters, a boost of hope is only a call away in Double-A, as Wade Davis and Jake McGee, two of baseball's top pitching prospects, await. Not to mention, 2007 number one overall selection, David Price, is steam-rolling towards Tampa as well.
The biggest difference, though, is the confidence and attitude that accompanies this ballclub. Derek Jeter admitted on Monday night that he recognized the newfound confidence with this energetic bunch. I wrote in this space in spring training, just after that Yankees-Rays brawl where Johnny Gomes came from nowhere to take out Shelley Duncan, that there was a distinct attitude difference beginning with that spring ballgame.
Most people would believe that it was simply tempers flaring in a game where there isn't much at stake. Well, sure, there may not be much at stake for a powerhouse like the Yankees, a club whose reputation is established and winning is their DNA. But everything was at stake for the Rays, and I absolutely loved the way that they responded. I thought it was critical for them to get in that brawl and let everyone know, hey, we are here to win now, not in five years, and we aren't going to bow down to the teams that are "supposed" to win this division. That fight show me a lot, and I believe that was the foundation for this confidence. The Rays knew they could compete with anybody, but more importantly now, they believe it. That is what you are seeing on the field.
2) Thanks for the starts kid, now run along back to Salt Lake and get some more seasoning on that right arm of yours. That is essentially what the Angels told highly-touted prospect Nick Adenhart Monday evening, after he earned his first big league win in a 10-7 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Vlad Guerrero put the offense on his back as he went 2-for-5 with a homerun, 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
Adenhart certainly face his adversity in his first stint in the big leagues, mainly the adversity that comes with that elusive batch of air we like to refer to as the "strike zone". Walks were the only thing that kept Adenhart from breaking spring training with the big club, and those concerns were justified in his three starts with the Angels. But, overall, the kid did a good job. He made two starts at home, one in which he would like to forget, and battled through some adversity on the road in Kansas City.
Was he stellar? No, not close to it. But, for the most part, he gave the Angels a chance to win and, more importantly, it was a great learning experience. Adenhart got the first-time jitters out of the way. He has been to the show, made it to a major league ballpark. Now he can go back down to the minors and not worry about his next promotion-- that will come with the next injury. He has a steady bank of knowledge to draw from, things he can work on in preparation for his next appearance in the big leagues. His efforts in Triple-A are not meaningless, as he knows where he needs to improve so that he will be better next time the Angels really need him to help them out.
But the best news coming from Angel Stadium on Monday evening had nothing to do with Adenhart's pitching or Vlad's bat. John Lackey, it was made official, will be coming off of the DL to make his season debut on Wednesday night. This is a long awaited debut, for Lackey, and for the Angels, who only a month and a half ago, looked a lot less than human as they begun the 2008 season.
Remember, many people thought this division was all but over even before the first pitch had been thrown. The rotation was set up to be baseball's best, and the offense would score runs like it normally would. Then, all of a sudden, Lackey went down with a troublesome triceps and Kelvim Escobar found a tear in his right shoulder, and made it known that his season may be in jeopardy.
Woah, now, this wasn't part of the deal. Funny the way things turn out, Ervin Santana looks like Pedro Martinez ten years ago, and Joe Saunders is looking like-- well, the Joe Saunders we have seen in small doses. Fast forward to May 13, a day before Lackey takes the mound, and the Angels have nestled in a half game behind the Oakland A's for in the AL West, comfortable enough, knowing that their ace is coming back. All things considered, the Angels should really start to make strides in this division and separate themselves from the pack. With Jon Garland's mechanical adjustments-- some hard work has allowed him to regain some of his 2005 form-- Jered Weaver appears to be the fifth-best starter in this Angels rotation. If Weaver is the fifth-best guy in the rotation, that ballclub is going to win a bunch of games.
Garza tossed 7 scoreless innings, surrendering five hits and striking out three batters, lowering his season ERA to 3.86. Garza appears to trending upward as his last three starts have been quality starts, shaking early season inconsistencies. This guy is a special young talent, simply another piece to go along with the horde of great arms that this ballclub is stockpiling.
Many observers still share a hint of skepticism about these Rays, for fear of fully believing, only to be let down after the All-Star break when the team crumbles. That isn't going to happen. These guys are for real, and that is because they have a stable of exciting, young players who are playing like a cohesive unit. I'm not saying that these Rays are playoff-bound, nothing is being guaranteed here.
Would it surprise me if they win the AL East? Yeah, a little bit. Would it surprise me if they win the AL Wildcard? Not at all. It all starts with the pitching. The aforementioned Garza is a great number three guy, and if he continues his trend of strong starts, this rotaton may be headed to greater heights than the one up North-- you know, the one with Josh Beckett and all. James Shields has really emerged as an above-average Major League pitcher-- I don't believe he is a star, or has reached elite status, yet-- and has done a great job of picking up the slack while the Rays were awaiting the return of Scott Kazmir.
Kazmir is back and pitching at the top of the rotation, and he will be great once he gets a few starts under his belt and his arm gets into midseason form. If anything falters, a boost of hope is only a call away in Double-A, as Wade Davis and Jake McGee, two of baseball's top pitching prospects, await. Not to mention, 2007 number one overall selection, David Price, is steam-rolling towards Tampa as well.
The biggest difference, though, is the confidence and attitude that accompanies this ballclub. Derek Jeter admitted on Monday night that he recognized the newfound confidence with this energetic bunch. I wrote in this space in spring training, just after that Yankees-Rays brawl where Johnny Gomes came from nowhere to take out Shelley Duncan, that there was a distinct attitude difference beginning with that spring ballgame.
Most people would believe that it was simply tempers flaring in a game where there isn't much at stake. Well, sure, there may not be much at stake for a powerhouse like the Yankees, a club whose reputation is established and winning is their DNA. But everything was at stake for the Rays, and I absolutely loved the way that they responded. I thought it was critical for them to get in that brawl and let everyone know, hey, we are here to win now, not in five years, and we aren't going to bow down to the teams that are "supposed" to win this division. That fight show me a lot, and I believe that was the foundation for this confidence. The Rays knew they could compete with anybody, but more importantly now, they believe it. That is what you are seeing on the field.
2) Thanks for the starts kid, now run along back to Salt Lake and get some more seasoning on that right arm of yours. That is essentially what the Angels told highly-touted prospect Nick Adenhart Monday evening, after he earned his first big league win in a 10-7 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Vlad Guerrero put the offense on his back as he went 2-for-5 with a homerun, 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
Adenhart certainly face his adversity in his first stint in the big leagues, mainly the adversity that comes with that elusive batch of air we like to refer to as the "strike zone". Walks were the only thing that kept Adenhart from breaking spring training with the big club, and those concerns were justified in his three starts with the Angels. But, overall, the kid did a good job. He made two starts at home, one in which he would like to forget, and battled through some adversity on the road in Kansas City.
Was he stellar? No, not close to it. But, for the most part, he gave the Angels a chance to win and, more importantly, it was a great learning experience. Adenhart got the first-time jitters out of the way. He has been to the show, made it to a major league ballpark. Now he can go back down to the minors and not worry about his next promotion-- that will come with the next injury. He has a steady bank of knowledge to draw from, things he can work on in preparation for his next appearance in the big leagues. His efforts in Triple-A are not meaningless, as he knows where he needs to improve so that he will be better next time the Angels really need him to help them out.
But the best news coming from Angel Stadium on Monday evening had nothing to do with Adenhart's pitching or Vlad's bat. John Lackey, it was made official, will be coming off of the DL to make his season debut on Wednesday night. This is a long awaited debut, for Lackey, and for the Angels, who only a month and a half ago, looked a lot less than human as they begun the 2008 season.
Remember, many people thought this division was all but over even before the first pitch had been thrown. The rotation was set up to be baseball's best, and the offense would score runs like it normally would. Then, all of a sudden, Lackey went down with a troublesome triceps and Kelvim Escobar found a tear in his right shoulder, and made it known that his season may be in jeopardy.
Woah, now, this wasn't part of the deal. Funny the way things turn out, Ervin Santana looks like Pedro Martinez ten years ago, and Joe Saunders is looking like-- well, the Joe Saunders we have seen in small doses. Fast forward to May 13, a day before Lackey takes the mound, and the Angels have nestled in a half game behind the Oakland A's for in the AL West, comfortable enough, knowing that their ace is coming back. All things considered, the Angels should really start to make strides in this division and separate themselves from the pack. With Jon Garland's mechanical adjustments-- some hard work has allowed him to regain some of his 2005 form-- Jered Weaver appears to be the fifth-best starter in this Angels rotation. If Weaver is the fifth-best guy in the rotation, that ballclub is going to win a bunch of games.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Ballpark Banter- Webb slithers to 8-0
1) Are we still playing the game of baseball in Arizona? The one with 90 foot bases, a 5 ounce ball, and stick? Some people say we are, so I guess I will take their word for it, but pardon me if I feel like I am in some fantasy world these days when Brandon Webb pitches. It's not even funny anymore. Nobody told Webb that hitting a baseball is arguably the most difficult thing to do in sports, apparently. He is pitching like some sick joke these days, yoyo-ing his fastball to all quadrants of the strike zone and dangling the bait that is his change up on the hook that is his right arm.
Webb improved to 8-0 on Thursday, throwing a complete game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Webb surrendered 6 hits over nine innings, allowing two earned runs to go along with 4 strikeouts, all the while expending only 104 pitches, 71 of them for strikes. What was impressive was the fact that, out of the 27 outs in the ballgame, Webb got 18 of them on the ground, exactly his style. An economical performance, to say the least.
Despite allowing two runs today, God forbid, Webb had some of the best stuff I have seen all season from him. His sinker was running and diving more than it is accustomed to, sort of like the Phillies' hitters taking a couple measly swings and diving back into the dugout to hide. The change up not only had its usual extraordinary sink to it, but it had great fading action to it, making it an even deadlier weapon.
With his change up becoming one of the league's best, that two pitch repertoire is more than enough to get hitters out. But to make matters worse for the opponent, Webb's slow breaking ball was even working for him. The breaking ball is a "show me" pitch and should be primarily used to steal cheap strikes early in the count, although Webb will get some strikeouts with hit based on hitters being purely fooled.
These types of outings have already become mundane in a sense, and we are in the beginning of May. Mundane in the best possible way, and that is because we have grown accustomed to Webb simply dominating. Is that fair? Fair for Webb, fair for us? Niether, I suppose, since baseball will ultimately humble Webb at some point this year, it is only natural. We shouldn't get our hopes up every day he pitches, like he is superhuman, because there will inevitably be an outing where the sinker doesn't sink and the change up hangs, and he gets wacked around a little bit. That is what the law of averages, when applied to baseball, tells us. But us baseball fans love great feats and we will continually set ourselves up to be heartbroken sooner or later.
There was a telling sign in the ninth inning of Thursday's ballgame, one which tells us just how good Brandon Webb is. Arizona manager Doug Melvin became a little bit weay when Webb put two runners on in the ninth, even though the Diamonbacks were still ahead by five runs. Melvin had the bullpen getting loose, just in case.
The manager tells catcher Chris Snyder to go talk to Webb in order to give the bullpen time to warm up. Snyder obliges, but signals to his manager, telling him that Webb is all right. Leave him in, his catcher says. Melvin makes the slow walk to the mound, the one all too familiar. Once he is out there, though, Snyder continues to lobby for Webb to stay in the ballgame and Webb reassures Melvin he wants to finish the ballgame. Melvin looks at Snyder and says, "All right", walking back to the dugout.
What else could Melvin have done? Nothing, to be exact. That is the level that Brandon Webb is at. He is so good and is so in tune with his body and his game, that when he tells the manager he can finish the ballgame, the manager doesn't ask twice. So what happens? Next hitter grounds into the 1-6-3 double play to seal the victory. Unbelievable.
2) The Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians 6-3 on Thursday back by four homeruns and another strong start from Mike Mussina-- he has won his last four. But that was not what all of the talk was about after the ballgame was over. The talk was about Joba Chamberlain and his exuberant fist pumps after striking out David Dellucci to end the top half of the eigth inning and preserve the lead for closer Mariano Rivera to finish up in the ninth.
Apparently it is becoming a big deal that Chamberlain gets this fired up after strikeouts, and pumping his fist is being dipped in the "bush league" category. I see both sides of this debate, but I disagree that Chamberlain is in the wrong. Look, I can see why people do not like the kid getting fired up over striking out a batter in the eigth inning. Many feel he should be more professional and control his emotions better. Some believe he is showing up the hitter and that they are merely unnecessary girations. Dellucci said, among other things, "It's May baseball".
Is it a bit much? Possibly. But not probably. If the Yankees are up by five runs in the seventh inning and there is nobody on base and Chamberlain strikes out the number nine hitter who is batting .215 on the season, then yes, I can see where it is over the top. If Chamberlain is beating his chest and staring down the hitter, the one he just demoralized with a life-threatening fastball or a back-breaking slider, and yelling some profan choiced words at him while he is on his way back to the dugout, then yes, the kid should have a closed door meeting with the manager and be reminded that this isn't the style of baseball that is seen on Friday nights at college campuses. We act different here.
But that isn't the case, and I think some people are really missing the boat here. Dellucci, after he hit a homerun off of Chamberlain to give the Indians the lead on Tuesday night, stoically trotted the bases and touched homeplate nary a growl, and proceeded to place his helmet back in the hat rack. Been here, done that. That is great, that is the way it should be. But that is one guy.
Have we forgotten all of the hitters who yell and point to the sky as they are rounding second base after giving their team a lead with a homerun? How about the ones who are greeted by teammates with complex handshakes at homeplate? Worse yet, how about those who stand in the batters box for five seconds to watch their shot, then take an inning and half to circle the bases? Are these displays of emotion all right?
Many closers yell and pump their chest after closing out a ballgame. Yes, I see the difference between clinching a victory and clinching the final out of a monotonous eigth inning. But at the same time, why aren't they being accused of showing up the opponent?
The thing is, extremes of both cases are not acceptable. Hitting a homerun and walking to first base and strutting your stuff around the bases like nobody other than you has hit a homerun since Babe Ruth certainly permits a fastball in your back the next time up. At the same time, a pitcher staring a hitter back to the dugout like no pitcher before him has painted the outside corner with a fastball or has made a hitter look foolish on a breaking ball, is ridiculous.
The point is that Chamberlain is not in the extreme part on the pitching side. He is a firery guy who is showing emotion. It is debateable whether he should tone it down or not. I'm not saying you have to agree with it or support his actions, but he hasn't crossed the line, and therefore it is unfair to refer to him as a bush league player or one who disrepects the game. Emotion is part of sports, but sometimes I question whether baseball has lost it. There is a difference between being firery and competitive and cocky and abrasive. Joba Chamberlain is the latter.
And honestly, I have zero sympathy for the hitter, in this case. You don't want him fist pumping out on the mound? How about winning the ballgame or scoring a run on him? The best rebuttal in all of baseball will be exactly what Dellucci did prior to Joba's celebration. Crush a homerun to win a ballgame, and circle the bases with a competitve swagger and professional class.
Webb improved to 8-0 on Thursday, throwing a complete game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Webb surrendered 6 hits over nine innings, allowing two earned runs to go along with 4 strikeouts, all the while expending only 104 pitches, 71 of them for strikes. What was impressive was the fact that, out of the 27 outs in the ballgame, Webb got 18 of them on the ground, exactly his style. An economical performance, to say the least.
Despite allowing two runs today, God forbid, Webb had some of the best stuff I have seen all season from him. His sinker was running and diving more than it is accustomed to, sort of like the Phillies' hitters taking a couple measly swings and diving back into the dugout to hide. The change up not only had its usual extraordinary sink to it, but it had great fading action to it, making it an even deadlier weapon.
With his change up becoming one of the league's best, that two pitch repertoire is more than enough to get hitters out. But to make matters worse for the opponent, Webb's slow breaking ball was even working for him. The breaking ball is a "show me" pitch and should be primarily used to steal cheap strikes early in the count, although Webb will get some strikeouts with hit based on hitters being purely fooled.
These types of outings have already become mundane in a sense, and we are in the beginning of May. Mundane in the best possible way, and that is because we have grown accustomed to Webb simply dominating. Is that fair? Fair for Webb, fair for us? Niether, I suppose, since baseball will ultimately humble Webb at some point this year, it is only natural. We shouldn't get our hopes up every day he pitches, like he is superhuman, because there will inevitably be an outing where the sinker doesn't sink and the change up hangs, and he gets wacked around a little bit. That is what the law of averages, when applied to baseball, tells us. But us baseball fans love great feats and we will continually set ourselves up to be heartbroken sooner or later.
There was a telling sign in the ninth inning of Thursday's ballgame, one which tells us just how good Brandon Webb is. Arizona manager Doug Melvin became a little bit weay when Webb put two runners on in the ninth, even though the Diamonbacks were still ahead by five runs. Melvin had the bullpen getting loose, just in case.
The manager tells catcher Chris Snyder to go talk to Webb in order to give the bullpen time to warm up. Snyder obliges, but signals to his manager, telling him that Webb is all right. Leave him in, his catcher says. Melvin makes the slow walk to the mound, the one all too familiar. Once he is out there, though, Snyder continues to lobby for Webb to stay in the ballgame and Webb reassures Melvin he wants to finish the ballgame. Melvin looks at Snyder and says, "All right", walking back to the dugout.
What else could Melvin have done? Nothing, to be exact. That is the level that Brandon Webb is at. He is so good and is so in tune with his body and his game, that when he tells the manager he can finish the ballgame, the manager doesn't ask twice. So what happens? Next hitter grounds into the 1-6-3 double play to seal the victory. Unbelievable.
2) The Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians 6-3 on Thursday back by four homeruns and another strong start from Mike Mussina-- he has won his last four. But that was not what all of the talk was about after the ballgame was over. The talk was about Joba Chamberlain and his exuberant fist pumps after striking out David Dellucci to end the top half of the eigth inning and preserve the lead for closer Mariano Rivera to finish up in the ninth.
Apparently it is becoming a big deal that Chamberlain gets this fired up after strikeouts, and pumping his fist is being dipped in the "bush league" category. I see both sides of this debate, but I disagree that Chamberlain is in the wrong. Look, I can see why people do not like the kid getting fired up over striking out a batter in the eigth inning. Many feel he should be more professional and control his emotions better. Some believe he is showing up the hitter and that they are merely unnecessary girations. Dellucci said, among other things, "It's May baseball".
Is it a bit much? Possibly. But not probably. If the Yankees are up by five runs in the seventh inning and there is nobody on base and Chamberlain strikes out the number nine hitter who is batting .215 on the season, then yes, I can see where it is over the top. If Chamberlain is beating his chest and staring down the hitter, the one he just demoralized with a life-threatening fastball or a back-breaking slider, and yelling some profan choiced words at him while he is on his way back to the dugout, then yes, the kid should have a closed door meeting with the manager and be reminded that this isn't the style of baseball that is seen on Friday nights at college campuses. We act different here.
But that isn't the case, and I think some people are really missing the boat here. Dellucci, after he hit a homerun off of Chamberlain to give the Indians the lead on Tuesday night, stoically trotted the bases and touched homeplate nary a growl, and proceeded to place his helmet back in the hat rack. Been here, done that. That is great, that is the way it should be. But that is one guy.
Have we forgotten all of the hitters who yell and point to the sky as they are rounding second base after giving their team a lead with a homerun? How about the ones who are greeted by teammates with complex handshakes at homeplate? Worse yet, how about those who stand in the batters box for five seconds to watch their shot, then take an inning and half to circle the bases? Are these displays of emotion all right?
Many closers yell and pump their chest after closing out a ballgame. Yes, I see the difference between clinching a victory and clinching the final out of a monotonous eigth inning. But at the same time, why aren't they being accused of showing up the opponent?
The thing is, extremes of both cases are not acceptable. Hitting a homerun and walking to first base and strutting your stuff around the bases like nobody other than you has hit a homerun since Babe Ruth certainly permits a fastball in your back the next time up. At the same time, a pitcher staring a hitter back to the dugout like no pitcher before him has painted the outside corner with a fastball or has made a hitter look foolish on a breaking ball, is ridiculous.
The point is that Chamberlain is not in the extreme part on the pitching side. He is a firery guy who is showing emotion. It is debateable whether he should tone it down or not. I'm not saying you have to agree with it or support his actions, but he hasn't crossed the line, and therefore it is unfair to refer to him as a bush league player or one who disrepects the game. Emotion is part of sports, but sometimes I question whether baseball has lost it. There is a difference between being firery and competitive and cocky and abrasive. Joba Chamberlain is the latter.
And honestly, I have zero sympathy for the hitter, in this case. You don't want him fist pumping out on the mound? How about winning the ballgame or scoring a run on him? The best rebuttal in all of baseball will be exactly what Dellucci did prior to Joba's celebration. Crush a homerun to win a ballgame, and circle the bases with a competitve swagger and professional class.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Mets win, still searching for Wright way
It was a cool, cloudy afternoon at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, much like how the three game series has gone for the New York Mets, and almost exactly how the last week or so has gone for Mets' third baseman David Wright. The stands were half-empty but, even after absorbing Wednesday's 12-1 pummeling, the Dodger glass is still more than half full. Los Angeles has won 11 of its last 13 games, all led by an offense that has seemingly found itself.
The Dodgers lineup was decrepit, at best, before they begun to get healthy on the likes of the Colorado Rockies. Now, the hitters are swinging with confidence, working themselves into good hitting counts, and allowing their newfound confidence to shoot balls into the gaps. That didn't quite carry over today, but when things are looking as bright as they are, it is easier to chalk these types of stinkers up to, simply, the game of baseball. One bad day. One bad game. Move on.
But it was all about the New York Mets, for this day at least. John Maine set the tone from the beginning, turning in an overall dominant performance. Maine was asked to do a little bit too much last year when the club lacked a bonafide ace. Now with the presence of Johan Santana, and the return of Pedro Martinez on the horizon, Maine is pitching in the middle of the rotation, more of his comfort zone.
And comfortable is exactly what the righty looked like on the mound on Wednesday. Yes, he rocked back, kicked his leg up, and proceeded to fire bullets to both sides of the plate-- 93-95 mph bullets, to be precise. His fastball had some of the best life it has had all season. That was evident has his four-seamer ran had some run and late explosion to it; Maine ran a 95 mph fastball back over the outside corner to get Russell Martin looking early in the game. Filthy.
That isn't the whole story, though. What Maine does better now is use his breaking ball and complementary change up to keep the hitters honest and, more importantly, keep them from sitting on his number one weapon-- the gas. Maine looked like a polished pitcher as he went 8 1/3 innings, allowing four hits to go along with four strikeouts. He was sniffing a complete game shutout until Matt Kemp singled in a run in the ninth inning.
It took the Dodgers nine frames to crack that goose egg on the scoreboard, but it only took the Mets two innings to reach the same goal. Early and often was the motto today against Dodgers' starter Brad Penny, as a trio of Mets-- Anderson, Casanova, Castillo-- put a quick four runs on the Dodgers' ace before LA made its second trip to the plate.
Luis Castillo has proved to be another catalyst at the top of the order, a guy who will be a tremendous relief to Jose Reyes. Reyes is undoubtedly still the heart and soul of the lineup. The Mets will rarely be effective if Reyes isn't leading off and getting on base at a good clip. The firery, fervent kid in the leadoff hole is back to being the personality that made him a quick star in New York and a fan favorite across baseball.
Ryan Church went 3-for-4 on the day, scoring three runs, and driving in one run. The Mets were in need of a big bat this offseason, one to add depth to the middle of the order. When Carlos Beltran is slumping and Carlos Delgado isn't healthy, there is a huge burden on Reyes and David Wright to account for the majority of the run production. Delgado has shown signs of slowing down lately, and who knows what his numbers will be at the end of this season. Could this be the end for Delgado? Not likely, but there really is no question that we are nearing the end. Especially if his body starts to give.
But who would have thought that the run producer the Mets were looking for, the guy to score runs and drive in runs, and all around force, would be Ryan Church? I never saw that coming for one, and I would argue that Mets' GM Omar Minaya didn't exactly have these expectations in his plans. The trade that brought Church to New York-- the Mets sent Lastings Milledge to the Nationals-- was highly criticized in the New York papers. Ripped even. Fans were outraged that a young kid with as much potential as Milledge has could be cheaply shipped out for a guy who hit .272 with 15 homeruns in 2007, and a guy who only played in 71 ballgames in 2006. And, really, how could you blame those who voiced the cries of vexation?
Well, get a good, healthy chunk of these 2008 Ryan Church numbers: Through 30 games, is batting .314/.379/.508 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 5 homeruns, 23 RBIs, and 24 runs scored.
Not to compare anybody here, but breathe a sigh of relief here New Yorkers, take a look at these 2008 Lastings Milledge numbers: Through 33 games, is batting .262/.328/.361 with 1 homerun, 11 RBIs, and 15 runs scored.
It is clear that Minaya has a vision in mind, and that vision is win now. Now is the time that a core group of superstars are together in a Mets uniform, and now is the time that the pitching has enough veterans to stabilize and endure the growing pains of the kids.
The lone ranger, or invisible one at that, has been David Wright. Wright has been struggling and had struck out four times in the first two games of this series against the Dodgers. Wright was in a 1-for-20 slump until the fifth inning of Wednesday's ballgame when he roped a 2-run double to left field. He has been tinkering and searching, waiting and hoping for a few games now. Yes, the ire of baseball is even bestowed upon the greats sometimes.
There is nothing out of the ordinary about the week that David Wright has had; merely a stretch of games where the timing is off and his pitch recognition is probably not at its best. One at-bat in Tuesday's nights game really told the tale of Wright, as of late. The Dodgers brought in hard-throwing Jonathan Broxton out of the bullpen in the eighth inning, and Wright was the third batter of the inning. Broxton comes set and delivers a 95 mph fastball on the outside corner for strike one. Looking.
Wright takes a slider to srike two. Now this was an all right pitch, but it wasn't the nastiest slider Broxton has ever thrown, nor do I believe it was the nastiest breaking ball Wright has ever seen. The pitch even backed up on Broxton a little bit, ending up right down the middle. A hanging slider over the heart of the plate, and Wright was completely fooled. The knees crumbled a little bit and the upper body buckled, the whole deal.
What happens next? Broxton pumps 97 mph cheese over the inside part of the plate and Wright looks at the third, and final, pitch of the at-bat, notching a backwards "K". I will give it to Wright on this pitch. It was 97, and it was down towards the knees. Lord knows, it was all that and a box of cracker jack to handle. But, no, the pitch wasn't that hard, at the knees, and painted on a corner. It got a fat part of the plate. The thing is, it was supposed to be a fastball away. Broxton just missed as it ran back over the plate. Wright demolishes these types of mistakes, typically, but last night he couldn't even get the back off of his shoulder. It was like Wright had to pay for the baseballs out of his own pocket and he was afraid to foul off a pitch or two.
It was blatantly obvious that he wasn't seeing the pitches like he normally does. The swings that he did take were not his usual force-filled hacks. They looked like a lonesome piece of lumber, crying out for help, hoping to meet its counterpart. The stroke looked long, and that is what usually happens when doubt enters the mind, when the baseball suddenly doesn't look as attractive as it once did.
Now, this is quite a small sample size-- i.e. not an Andruw Jones' type slump. This was four or five games, a bad week at the office for one of the game's brightest stars. On the same note, Wright has 6 homeruns, 26 RBIs, and has walked more than he has struck out this season. He is batting .265.
Wright will get his 30 homeruns, he will drive in over 100, his batting average will nestle over the .300 mark, and he will probably be high up in the heated discussion for the National League Most Valuable Player. Really, there shouldn't be much concern about this guy. But when health is a serious issue for a ballclub, and major bats tend to struggle, Wright needs to be the unwavering, constant threat that can team up with Reyes and Johan Santana and get this thing done for the Mets. It is easier to replace Carlos Delgado. It is possible to substitue for Carlos Beltran. It is impossible to supersede Wright. That is the gospel of the New York Mets, and when David Wright is missing his swing, the gospel is missing its most powerful words.
Funny thing, this game of baseball.
The Dodgers lineup was decrepit, at best, before they begun to get healthy on the likes of the Colorado Rockies. Now, the hitters are swinging with confidence, working themselves into good hitting counts, and allowing their newfound confidence to shoot balls into the gaps. That didn't quite carry over today, but when things are looking as bright as they are, it is easier to chalk these types of stinkers up to, simply, the game of baseball. One bad day. One bad game. Move on.
But it was all about the New York Mets, for this day at least. John Maine set the tone from the beginning, turning in an overall dominant performance. Maine was asked to do a little bit too much last year when the club lacked a bonafide ace. Now with the presence of Johan Santana, and the return of Pedro Martinez on the horizon, Maine is pitching in the middle of the rotation, more of his comfort zone.
And comfortable is exactly what the righty looked like on the mound on Wednesday. Yes, he rocked back, kicked his leg up, and proceeded to fire bullets to both sides of the plate-- 93-95 mph bullets, to be precise. His fastball had some of the best life it has had all season. That was evident has his four-seamer ran had some run and late explosion to it; Maine ran a 95 mph fastball back over the outside corner to get Russell Martin looking early in the game. Filthy.
That isn't the whole story, though. What Maine does better now is use his breaking ball and complementary change up to keep the hitters honest and, more importantly, keep them from sitting on his number one weapon-- the gas. Maine looked like a polished pitcher as he went 8 1/3 innings, allowing four hits to go along with four strikeouts. He was sniffing a complete game shutout until Matt Kemp singled in a run in the ninth inning.
It took the Dodgers nine frames to crack that goose egg on the scoreboard, but it only took the Mets two innings to reach the same goal. Early and often was the motto today against Dodgers' starter Brad Penny, as a trio of Mets-- Anderson, Casanova, Castillo-- put a quick four runs on the Dodgers' ace before LA made its second trip to the plate.
Luis Castillo has proved to be another catalyst at the top of the order, a guy who will be a tremendous relief to Jose Reyes. Reyes is undoubtedly still the heart and soul of the lineup. The Mets will rarely be effective if Reyes isn't leading off and getting on base at a good clip. The firery, fervent kid in the leadoff hole is back to being the personality that made him a quick star in New York and a fan favorite across baseball.
Ryan Church went 3-for-4 on the day, scoring three runs, and driving in one run. The Mets were in need of a big bat this offseason, one to add depth to the middle of the order. When Carlos Beltran is slumping and Carlos Delgado isn't healthy, there is a huge burden on Reyes and David Wright to account for the majority of the run production. Delgado has shown signs of slowing down lately, and who knows what his numbers will be at the end of this season. Could this be the end for Delgado? Not likely, but there really is no question that we are nearing the end. Especially if his body starts to give.
But who would have thought that the run producer the Mets were looking for, the guy to score runs and drive in runs, and all around force, would be Ryan Church? I never saw that coming for one, and I would argue that Mets' GM Omar Minaya didn't exactly have these expectations in his plans. The trade that brought Church to New York-- the Mets sent Lastings Milledge to the Nationals-- was highly criticized in the New York papers. Ripped even. Fans were outraged that a young kid with as much potential as Milledge has could be cheaply shipped out for a guy who hit .272 with 15 homeruns in 2007, and a guy who only played in 71 ballgames in 2006. And, really, how could you blame those who voiced the cries of vexation?
Well, get a good, healthy chunk of these 2008 Ryan Church numbers: Through 30 games, is batting .314/.379/.508 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 5 homeruns, 23 RBIs, and 24 runs scored.
Not to compare anybody here, but breathe a sigh of relief here New Yorkers, take a look at these 2008 Lastings Milledge numbers: Through 33 games, is batting .262/.328/.361 with 1 homerun, 11 RBIs, and 15 runs scored.
It is clear that Minaya has a vision in mind, and that vision is win now. Now is the time that a core group of superstars are together in a Mets uniform, and now is the time that the pitching has enough veterans to stabilize and endure the growing pains of the kids.
The lone ranger, or invisible one at that, has been David Wright. Wright has been struggling and had struck out four times in the first two games of this series against the Dodgers. Wright was in a 1-for-20 slump until the fifth inning of Wednesday's ballgame when he roped a 2-run double to left field. He has been tinkering and searching, waiting and hoping for a few games now. Yes, the ire of baseball is even bestowed upon the greats sometimes.
There is nothing out of the ordinary about the week that David Wright has had; merely a stretch of games where the timing is off and his pitch recognition is probably not at its best. One at-bat in Tuesday's nights game really told the tale of Wright, as of late. The Dodgers brought in hard-throwing Jonathan Broxton out of the bullpen in the eighth inning, and Wright was the third batter of the inning. Broxton comes set and delivers a 95 mph fastball on the outside corner for strike one. Looking.
Wright takes a slider to srike two. Now this was an all right pitch, but it wasn't the nastiest slider Broxton has ever thrown, nor do I believe it was the nastiest breaking ball Wright has ever seen. The pitch even backed up on Broxton a little bit, ending up right down the middle. A hanging slider over the heart of the plate, and Wright was completely fooled. The knees crumbled a little bit and the upper body buckled, the whole deal.
What happens next? Broxton pumps 97 mph cheese over the inside part of the plate and Wright looks at the third, and final, pitch of the at-bat, notching a backwards "K". I will give it to Wright on this pitch. It was 97, and it was down towards the knees. Lord knows, it was all that and a box of cracker jack to handle. But, no, the pitch wasn't that hard, at the knees, and painted on a corner. It got a fat part of the plate. The thing is, it was supposed to be a fastball away. Broxton just missed as it ran back over the plate. Wright demolishes these types of mistakes, typically, but last night he couldn't even get the back off of his shoulder. It was like Wright had to pay for the baseballs out of his own pocket and he was afraid to foul off a pitch or two.
It was blatantly obvious that he wasn't seeing the pitches like he normally does. The swings that he did take were not his usual force-filled hacks. They looked like a lonesome piece of lumber, crying out for help, hoping to meet its counterpart. The stroke looked long, and that is what usually happens when doubt enters the mind, when the baseball suddenly doesn't look as attractive as it once did.
Now, this is quite a small sample size-- i.e. not an Andruw Jones' type slump. This was four or five games, a bad week at the office for one of the game's brightest stars. On the same note, Wright has 6 homeruns, 26 RBIs, and has walked more than he has struck out this season. He is batting .265.
Wright will get his 30 homeruns, he will drive in over 100, his batting average will nestle over the .300 mark, and he will probably be high up in the heated discussion for the National League Most Valuable Player. Really, there shouldn't be much concern about this guy. But when health is a serious issue for a ballclub, and major bats tend to struggle, Wright needs to be the unwavering, constant threat that can team up with Reyes and Johan Santana and get this thing done for the Mets. It is easier to replace Carlos Delgado. It is possible to substitue for Carlos Beltran. It is impossible to supersede Wright. That is the gospel of the New York Mets, and when David Wright is missing his swing, the gospel is missing its most powerful words.
Funny thing, this game of baseball.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Cinco De Mayo notes
1) Wow. A loss for words. There are many reasons that can render a baseball fan speechless, and this performance by Ervin Santana on Monday night was one of those games where I felt an overwhelming sense of joy in watching a professional ballplayer go about his work. Masterpieces are great any time; they are the quick reminder of why we love this game so much and why millions of people spend their summer days soaking in baseball.
That being said, there was something more to this game than that. This was a masterpiece, indeed. But this was also a coming of age tale, a statement game, another step in the right direction of what is shaping up to be a terrific season for the Angels' young hurler. "Proud" could be one way to descibe the thoughts that emanated from this ordinary May evening in Kansas City. This game was a collection of all of the struggles Santana endured in 2007. Hitting rock bottom and being waved around cheaply in numerous trade negotiations-- Miguel Tejada and Miguel Cabrera deals to name two.
Santana did his part to buoy the Angels, throwing a 4-hitter at the struggling Kansas City Royals. Santana struck out nine and, most impressively, didn't walk anybody in his complete game shutout.
"So far", Santana said, sheepishly, after being aksed if this was the best game he has thrown in his career. Oh, the levels of confidence that cling from a young man's shoulders as the by product of some success. The metamorphosis that Santana has undergone has come from his mentality. Santana makes it a priority to attack the strike zone these days; strike one on the first pitch of an at-bat is the primary goal. Last season, it was evident that Santana was nibbling and pitching away from contact. In 2007, Santana averaged more than one walk per three innings. So far this season, it is taking him roughly 4 1/3 innings to walk that first batter.
This win was another piece towards becoming the ace that Santana's talent dreams of being. This was a great game for the psyche, but a great game for the Angels as well, kicking off a 6-game roadtrip with a win and maintaining a 1 1/2 game lead over Oakland in the AL West. I am still saving all of my exuberance, hoping that this Santana is for real. I want to love this kid and I want this guy to become a star after going through the struggles. It is only a month into the season, and maybe that is why I am still reserving some judgement, but this is the type of story that has Comeback Player of the Year written all over it.
2) I still haven't figured it out, and I probably never will. But Daisuke Matsuzaka led the Boston Red Sox to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Monday, even though he fulfilled the minimum effort required for the win. What was so bewildering? Well, if you look at the fact that Matsuzaka only allowed one run over five innings, this would probably be considred a decent outing. And I guess it still is. The caveat is that he walked 8 over the five innings. Eight. Grip your pitching strategy mind around that for a minute and please, if only so I won't feel alone, wonder how in the world it is possible to walk 8 in five innings, and only allow one guy to cross homeplate?
This is one of those funky, wild games that baseball throws at us every so often to make sure we are still paying attention. It is a fun stat actually, at least for the readers of box scores and print columns; I suspect that Dice-K doesn't find that line all that amusing, but hey, we can say he battled, right?
In all seriousness, the extraordinarily high pitch count continues to cripple Matsuzaka as he rarely works out of the sixth inning. Dice-K has the stuff to be a horse and has the durable arm to complement his pitches. It must be frustrating, at least for manager Terry Francona, that his big name starter not named Josh Beckett cannot pitch into the eighth inning regularly and be a guy that can spell the bullpen a heavy workload, if only for one night.
Who knows what it is. Maybe Matsuzaka is trying to set some all-time strikeout record or something and figures that hey, if I'm going to be out there for six innings, let me get my 14 punchouts. Probably not, but I cannot come to think of anything else that could cause a pitcher this talented to labor so much. Jason Varitek could probably help him out by changing the game plan a little bit; altering it so that Dice-K throws more pitches to contact and throws pitches to attack in all counts. Varitek needs to make sure strike one is his pitcher's main focus, and allow all of the gyros and sidewinders and whatever else is in Matsuzaka's kitchen to be chase pitches when he is way ahead in the zone. Whatever it was on this given night, it sure was baseball's wackiness coming through in the clutch.
3) Max Scherzer has already made his big league debut. That hurdle was trampeled over and left in his wake-- striking out nearly half the batters you face deserves a word more powerful than "wake", but it will have to suffice for this space. The next step was getting Scherzer into the starting rotation, something that he excelled at in college and his brief stint in the minor leagues.
That promotion came Monday when Scherzer made his first major league start against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Diamonbacks got shellacked, but that was not the entire story for Scherzer. He gave up five runs over four innings, although only two of those were earned, and he struck out five. He was probably yanked in order to keep his pitch count down, as I'm sure they want to limit the innings and stress on his arm early in the season.
This kid is defintely impressive, even if the jury is still out on whether he should be a starter or reliever. Look, the 38 strikeouts in 23 someodd innings in the minor leagues don't lie. This kid can start and he certainly has the arsenal to dominate a lineup multiple times through the order. Many scouts and talent evaluators believe that his future lies in the bullpen if only for the fact that he has had some arm trouble in college and he has an extremely violent delivery. Not many people believe that this kid is a pitcher built for durabilty, but only time will reveal the truth to that inquiry.
I have a feeling the issue will be forced, though, since what is the club supposed to do if they are contedning for a World Series and Scherzer is one of the most electric arms on the staff? I have to believe that he will be out on the mound, firing his 98 mph fastballs with reckless abandon. No manager of front office employee, whose job is to look out for the future of the ballclub's players, wants to admit that they would exceed an innings limit on a young kid, even if the playoffs are at stake. a part of me believes that notion, but most of me wants to say that the only reason to protect these kids is so that you can have a chance at winning a championship. Who knows how many chances you will have or when those postseason oppotunities will come. I think if you have a shot, you better throw caution to the wind, go for it, and hope it all works out for the best.
That being said, there was something more to this game than that. This was a masterpiece, indeed. But this was also a coming of age tale, a statement game, another step in the right direction of what is shaping up to be a terrific season for the Angels' young hurler. "Proud" could be one way to descibe the thoughts that emanated from this ordinary May evening in Kansas City. This game was a collection of all of the struggles Santana endured in 2007. Hitting rock bottom and being waved around cheaply in numerous trade negotiations-- Miguel Tejada and Miguel Cabrera deals to name two.
Santana did his part to buoy the Angels, throwing a 4-hitter at the struggling Kansas City Royals. Santana struck out nine and, most impressively, didn't walk anybody in his complete game shutout.
"So far", Santana said, sheepishly, after being aksed if this was the best game he has thrown in his career. Oh, the levels of confidence that cling from a young man's shoulders as the by product of some success. The metamorphosis that Santana has undergone has come from his mentality. Santana makes it a priority to attack the strike zone these days; strike one on the first pitch of an at-bat is the primary goal. Last season, it was evident that Santana was nibbling and pitching away from contact. In 2007, Santana averaged more than one walk per three innings. So far this season, it is taking him roughly 4 1/3 innings to walk that first batter.
This win was another piece towards becoming the ace that Santana's talent dreams of being. This was a great game for the psyche, but a great game for the Angels as well, kicking off a 6-game roadtrip with a win and maintaining a 1 1/2 game lead over Oakland in the AL West. I am still saving all of my exuberance, hoping that this Santana is for real. I want to love this kid and I want this guy to become a star after going through the struggles. It is only a month into the season, and maybe that is why I am still reserving some judgement, but this is the type of story that has Comeback Player of the Year written all over it.
2) I still haven't figured it out, and I probably never will. But Daisuke Matsuzaka led the Boston Red Sox to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Monday, even though he fulfilled the minimum effort required for the win. What was so bewildering? Well, if you look at the fact that Matsuzaka only allowed one run over five innings, this would probably be considred a decent outing. And I guess it still is. The caveat is that he walked 8 over the five innings. Eight. Grip your pitching strategy mind around that for a minute and please, if only so I won't feel alone, wonder how in the world it is possible to walk 8 in five innings, and only allow one guy to cross homeplate?
This is one of those funky, wild games that baseball throws at us every so often to make sure we are still paying attention. It is a fun stat actually, at least for the readers of box scores and print columns; I suspect that Dice-K doesn't find that line all that amusing, but hey, we can say he battled, right?
In all seriousness, the extraordinarily high pitch count continues to cripple Matsuzaka as he rarely works out of the sixth inning. Dice-K has the stuff to be a horse and has the durable arm to complement his pitches. It must be frustrating, at least for manager Terry Francona, that his big name starter not named Josh Beckett cannot pitch into the eighth inning regularly and be a guy that can spell the bullpen a heavy workload, if only for one night.
Who knows what it is. Maybe Matsuzaka is trying to set some all-time strikeout record or something and figures that hey, if I'm going to be out there for six innings, let me get my 14 punchouts. Probably not, but I cannot come to think of anything else that could cause a pitcher this talented to labor so much. Jason Varitek could probably help him out by changing the game plan a little bit; altering it so that Dice-K throws more pitches to contact and throws pitches to attack in all counts. Varitek needs to make sure strike one is his pitcher's main focus, and allow all of the gyros and sidewinders and whatever else is in Matsuzaka's kitchen to be chase pitches when he is way ahead in the zone. Whatever it was on this given night, it sure was baseball's wackiness coming through in the clutch.
3) Max Scherzer has already made his big league debut. That hurdle was trampeled over and left in his wake-- striking out nearly half the batters you face deserves a word more powerful than "wake", but it will have to suffice for this space. The next step was getting Scherzer into the starting rotation, something that he excelled at in college and his brief stint in the minor leagues.
That promotion came Monday when Scherzer made his first major league start against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Diamonbacks got shellacked, but that was not the entire story for Scherzer. He gave up five runs over four innings, although only two of those were earned, and he struck out five. He was probably yanked in order to keep his pitch count down, as I'm sure they want to limit the innings and stress on his arm early in the season.
This kid is defintely impressive, even if the jury is still out on whether he should be a starter or reliever. Look, the 38 strikeouts in 23 someodd innings in the minor leagues don't lie. This kid can start and he certainly has the arsenal to dominate a lineup multiple times through the order. Many scouts and talent evaluators believe that his future lies in the bullpen if only for the fact that he has had some arm trouble in college and he has an extremely violent delivery. Not many people believe that this kid is a pitcher built for durabilty, but only time will reveal the truth to that inquiry.
I have a feeling the issue will be forced, though, since what is the club supposed to do if they are contedning for a World Series and Scherzer is one of the most electric arms on the staff? I have to believe that he will be out on the mound, firing his 98 mph fastballs with reckless abandon. No manager of front office employee, whose job is to look out for the future of the ballclub's players, wants to admit that they would exceed an innings limit on a young kid, even if the playoffs are at stake. a part of me believes that notion, but most of me wants to say that the only reason to protect these kids is so that you can have a chance at winning a championship. Who knows how many chances you will have or when those postseason oppotunities will come. I think if you have a shot, you better throw caution to the wind, go for it, and hope it all works out for the best.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Ballpark Banter- High heat
1) Tim Lincecum took the ball for the San Francisco Giants Sunday, and did what he does best: throw fastballs right by the best of hitters. The 23-year-old is quickly becoming the leader of Giants' pitching staff; certainly he shares the role with Matt Cain, who has the stuff of an ace as well. The problem is a universal one for the Giants; when they get good starting pitching, they can't score runs. Well, they can't score runs period, so the performance of their starting pitching apparently doesn't much matter.
Lincecum threw six innings against the Phillies Sunday allowing four runs, all unearned, along with five strikeouts and two walks. Lincecum has been the man for San Francisco in 2008, and on Sunday he lowered his season ERA to 1.49. Chase Utley was overmatched by the young righty, and Utley has been hitting everything in sight these days. Ryan Howard has been in an early season funk, and Lincecum sure didn't help his cause.
What is special about Lincecum is that he does not have to outthink hitters or try to fool them. His stuff is so good that he can come right at anybody, which he does. His fastball is so dominant that he doesn't need to nitpick on the corners. Even with a great fastball, he still wants to throw it as close to knee-high as possible, but that will come with maturity.
If Lincecum's fastball is his best pitch, his curveball is a devastating offspeed pitch that registers as his second offering. He throws the hammer in the low-80s and usually uses it to get the strikeout. He is capable of throwing it for strikes, but his MO is to pound the strike zone early and often with the fastball.
I saw a mixture of things from Lincecum on Sunday, two in particular. The first is the use of his change up. He rarely needs the pitch, and rarely may be an overstatement. There is no question that this kid can dominate any lineup with his fastball and curveball alone. But the develpment of the third pitch will render huge for the kid as he develops in his career and hitters start to face him multiple times over the course of many seasons. Lincecum used his change up to strike out Utley looking on Sunday.
The change up coincides with my second thought on Lincecum. For being so good and having such great stuff, Lincecum labors much too hard. He will often fall behind in counts because he leaves his fastball up at the letters, and he will walk some guys. His arsenal is almost a kiss of death because he knows that if people are on base, he can just go and strike out anybody. That leads him to expending a lot of pitches per inning, and before he knows it he is over 100 in the sixth inning. If he can incorporate his change up into his gameplan a little bit more, he should be able to cut down on the number of pitches he throws per inning, and therefore eat up more innings per start.
Lincecum is young and inconsistencies are expected. When he learns to harness his fastball, curveball, and change up, he will find himself being a horse that takes the ball into the eigth inning on any given night. He is too talented to throw balls and not attack the hitter. There really is no reason for him not to get to 0-2 counts often, and then he really has the hitter in his hands. But, again, these things come with innings and experience, and Lincecum has a great headstart on becoming the superstar that is inevitably in his future.
2) The New York Yankees sent rookie pitcher Ian Kennedy down to the minors after he has been shelled early in 2008. Kennedy is going to take his 8.37 ERA down and try to refine his pitches and his command. This is the right move by the front office. The Yankees need to get some stability in their rotation, and they cannot afford many more starts like the ones Phil Hughes and Kennedy have been responsible for. This is not to say that Kennedy will not play an important role in the success of the Yankees this season, because he most certainly will.
New York needs Kennedy to get straightened out and back up to the big leagues as quick as possible. This demotion really isn't a negative for Kennedy, or shouldn't be, at least. Kennedy has reached the major leagues in an unprecedented amount of time, absolutely flying through te minor league levels. By going back to Triple-A, there will be no pressure on Kennedy to win. He will be given the opportunity to improve and grow as a pitcher.
The problem with Kennedy was his fastball command. This is a guy who will rarely reach 91 mph with his fastball, working mostly 87-89. He has always had pinpoint accuracy with his fastball, and that is what has made him so succesful through his young career. But so far this season, his fastball has been up and catching way too much of the plate. As a result, hitters have simply been feasting on his fastball and laying off his offspeed. His change up and curveball need to be thrown for strikes to keep the hitters honest.
The cold truth is that Kennedy really has zero room for error. If he can't get ahead with his offspeed pitches early in the count and his fastball is not at the knees and on the corners, he is going to get hammered. That is just the way it is; the nature of the beast, if you will. And, to be fair, there is nothing Kennedy can do about that. That is simply the type of stuff that he brings to the table. He can still be very good, but he has to accept that as a challenge and face reality. But this kid will be back once he starts locating that fastball again. Just a matter of time.
3) How good is Roy Halladay? He takes the ball into the eighth inning on a day when you really get the sense that he wasn't that sharp. Halladay gave up three runs over 7 1/3 innings on Sunday, but the Blue Jays hung on to beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 in Toronto.
Halladay ran his sinker up to 95 mph, his cutter up to 92, and threw a great slider around 78-80. I wasn't aware of the power in Halladay's cutter, which is a great pitch. He has heavy sink on his fastball that simply eats up bats and induces plenty of weak swings and weaker groundballs. He used his cutter inside on left handed hitters, snapping bats and devouring confidence simultaneously.
Halladay is a bit of a "kitchen sink" guy; he will complement the aformentioned arsenal with a big beaking curveball and a change up as well. This guy is some sort of freak of nature. The package he brings to a rotation is unique in the sense that he can do a bit of everything. What I see from Halladay is part dominant, part efficient. He is the protoypical starting pitcher. Halladay has the ability to use his power stuff to go get a strikeout when he needs it, or jam a hitter and get him to pop it up in the infield.
But for the most part, he is on cruse control, mixing and matching different speeds to get quick, easy outs. His performances are effortless. I watch him and see him operate in a distinct mantra, almost like he knws he is going to throw a complete game. He is a big guy with a physical frame, one who will eat up tons of innings. He can do it all, and there is no question about it. I can see Halladay throwing 250-275 innings and being fine physically. He is an old school type of pitcher who understands his role and pitches accordingly.
Halladay knows he has to be the rock of the rotation and he knows, as an ace, it is his job to throw as many innings as possible to keep the bullpen fresh. He exhibits extreme professionalism in his diligence to prepare and plan for an opponent; he knows he could strike out 10-12 a night, but that would require more effort, more pitches, and result in less outs. So instead of rearing back and looking for the no-hitter, Halladay understands the most efficient way to pitch and win ballgames. Put this guy on, say, a team like Detroit who has a great lineup, and he wins 25 games a year, easily. He is something else to watch.
Lincecum threw six innings against the Phillies Sunday allowing four runs, all unearned, along with five strikeouts and two walks. Lincecum has been the man for San Francisco in 2008, and on Sunday he lowered his season ERA to 1.49. Chase Utley was overmatched by the young righty, and Utley has been hitting everything in sight these days. Ryan Howard has been in an early season funk, and Lincecum sure didn't help his cause.
What is special about Lincecum is that he does not have to outthink hitters or try to fool them. His stuff is so good that he can come right at anybody, which he does. His fastball is so dominant that he doesn't need to nitpick on the corners. Even with a great fastball, he still wants to throw it as close to knee-high as possible, but that will come with maturity.
If Lincecum's fastball is his best pitch, his curveball is a devastating offspeed pitch that registers as his second offering. He throws the hammer in the low-80s and usually uses it to get the strikeout. He is capable of throwing it for strikes, but his MO is to pound the strike zone early and often with the fastball.
I saw a mixture of things from Lincecum on Sunday, two in particular. The first is the use of his change up. He rarely needs the pitch, and rarely may be an overstatement. There is no question that this kid can dominate any lineup with his fastball and curveball alone. But the develpment of the third pitch will render huge for the kid as he develops in his career and hitters start to face him multiple times over the course of many seasons. Lincecum used his change up to strike out Utley looking on Sunday.
The change up coincides with my second thought on Lincecum. For being so good and having such great stuff, Lincecum labors much too hard. He will often fall behind in counts because he leaves his fastball up at the letters, and he will walk some guys. His arsenal is almost a kiss of death because he knows that if people are on base, he can just go and strike out anybody. That leads him to expending a lot of pitches per inning, and before he knows it he is over 100 in the sixth inning. If he can incorporate his change up into his gameplan a little bit more, he should be able to cut down on the number of pitches he throws per inning, and therefore eat up more innings per start.
Lincecum is young and inconsistencies are expected. When he learns to harness his fastball, curveball, and change up, he will find himself being a horse that takes the ball into the eigth inning on any given night. He is too talented to throw balls and not attack the hitter. There really is no reason for him not to get to 0-2 counts often, and then he really has the hitter in his hands. But, again, these things come with innings and experience, and Lincecum has a great headstart on becoming the superstar that is inevitably in his future.
2) The New York Yankees sent rookie pitcher Ian Kennedy down to the minors after he has been shelled early in 2008. Kennedy is going to take his 8.37 ERA down and try to refine his pitches and his command. This is the right move by the front office. The Yankees need to get some stability in their rotation, and they cannot afford many more starts like the ones Phil Hughes and Kennedy have been responsible for. This is not to say that Kennedy will not play an important role in the success of the Yankees this season, because he most certainly will.
New York needs Kennedy to get straightened out and back up to the big leagues as quick as possible. This demotion really isn't a negative for Kennedy, or shouldn't be, at least. Kennedy has reached the major leagues in an unprecedented amount of time, absolutely flying through te minor league levels. By going back to Triple-A, there will be no pressure on Kennedy to win. He will be given the opportunity to improve and grow as a pitcher.
The problem with Kennedy was his fastball command. This is a guy who will rarely reach 91 mph with his fastball, working mostly 87-89. He has always had pinpoint accuracy with his fastball, and that is what has made him so succesful through his young career. But so far this season, his fastball has been up and catching way too much of the plate. As a result, hitters have simply been feasting on his fastball and laying off his offspeed. His change up and curveball need to be thrown for strikes to keep the hitters honest.
The cold truth is that Kennedy really has zero room for error. If he can't get ahead with his offspeed pitches early in the count and his fastball is not at the knees and on the corners, he is going to get hammered. That is just the way it is; the nature of the beast, if you will. And, to be fair, there is nothing Kennedy can do about that. That is simply the type of stuff that he brings to the table. He can still be very good, but he has to accept that as a challenge and face reality. But this kid will be back once he starts locating that fastball again. Just a matter of time.
3) How good is Roy Halladay? He takes the ball into the eighth inning on a day when you really get the sense that he wasn't that sharp. Halladay gave up three runs over 7 1/3 innings on Sunday, but the Blue Jays hung on to beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 in Toronto.
Halladay ran his sinker up to 95 mph, his cutter up to 92, and threw a great slider around 78-80. I wasn't aware of the power in Halladay's cutter, which is a great pitch. He has heavy sink on his fastball that simply eats up bats and induces plenty of weak swings and weaker groundballs. He used his cutter inside on left handed hitters, snapping bats and devouring confidence simultaneously.
Halladay is a bit of a "kitchen sink" guy; he will complement the aformentioned arsenal with a big beaking curveball and a change up as well. This guy is some sort of freak of nature. The package he brings to a rotation is unique in the sense that he can do a bit of everything. What I see from Halladay is part dominant, part efficient. He is the protoypical starting pitcher. Halladay has the ability to use his power stuff to go get a strikeout when he needs it, or jam a hitter and get him to pop it up in the infield.
But for the most part, he is on cruse control, mixing and matching different speeds to get quick, easy outs. His performances are effortless. I watch him and see him operate in a distinct mantra, almost like he knws he is going to throw a complete game. He is a big guy with a physical frame, one who will eat up tons of innings. He can do it all, and there is no question about it. I can see Halladay throwing 250-275 innings and being fine physically. He is an old school type of pitcher who understands his role and pitches accordingly.
Halladay knows he has to be the rock of the rotation and he knows, as an ace, it is his job to throw as many innings as possible to keep the bullpen fresh. He exhibits extreme professionalism in his diligence to prepare and plan for an opponent; he knows he could strike out 10-12 a night, but that would require more effort, more pitches, and result in less outs. So instead of rearing back and looking for the no-hitter, Halladay understands the most efficient way to pitch and win ballgames. Put this guy on, say, a team like Detroit who has a great lineup, and he wins 25 games a year, easily. He is something else to watch.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Ballpark Banter- Helloooooooo, Ervin
1) You could sit here and toss around the old adage, "What a difference a year makes", and that would be a justifiable statement, certainly. The difference between Ervin Santana of last year, and Ervin Santana of 2008 is like the difference between heaven and hell. But this isn't a matter of the luck of the draw, or anything like that. No, I don't believe in luck when it comes to getting major league hitters out. Good pitchers who make good pitches get hitters out.
As Santana allowed one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings Wednesday on a way to a 4-1 victory, the Angels found themselves with not one, but two pitchers who have started the season by going 5-0 in April. Prior to Joe Saunders' start on Tuesday night, the Angels only had one pitcher in franchise history to do that-- lefty Frank Tanana. But I'm telling you with conviction, this sudden resurrection of Ervin Santan is not about flipping the calendar over and crossingyour fingers.
There is a difference in this kid this year, one that took a whole year to bring to the surface. It took Santana being absolutely humiliated, getting his brains beat in, to injure his pride a little bit. He was supposed to build on a great 2006 and step up into the category of elite big league pitchers, possibly even contending for the Cy Young award. Turns out, Santant wouldn't have even been an elite pitcher in Salt Lake City.
But that is alright. Why? Because sometimes it takes this kind of failure to shake a kid and push him towards reaching his full potential. The Angels should be greatful that Santana faced these kind of struggles early on in his career. More importantly, he hit rock bottomg and has bounced back to where he is now. As we sit here today following his marvelous starts, we reminisce back to the days when Ervin was a rookie, where the sky wasn't even the limit for all the talent oozing out of his right arm. Santana has gotten himself back to that level, all through hard work and determination.
Mechanical flaws can go a long way towards shaping a pitcher, and certainly provide an area for great improvement. But I am not convinced that it is Santana's mechanics that really are the reason for his turn around. He had good stuff last year-- the problem was that 94 mph fastballs were belt high over the middle and were getting raked.
The fundamental difference this year is the newfound attitude and mentality of Ervin. John Lackey is known as the fiery ace from Texas on this Angels staff and is the guy who is ready to jump over the dugout rail any time an opposing pitcher brushes back one of his teammates. But Santana has made that leap effective insanity this season. The guy has turned into The Terminator on the mound-- "I give credit to nobody".
Wednesday night, Santana pounded his fastball inside, and for the first time in a while, actually used his high-octane gas to put the fear of death into some hitters. He used his 96 mph fastball under the chin of the Oakland A's, so his sharp slider on the outside part of the plate would be more effective. This tactic worked to the tune of four hits over the entire evening. This is what we have been waiting for from this kid. Santana in the past has looked bit timid on the mound. Major League stuff combined with Little League belief in himself and his arsenal. That was his problem.
No, no, not anymore. Ervin steps onto that rubber, chomps the heck out of his gum, and rears back and attacks. The swagger is indellible, and therefore the success is inevitable. Santana is starting to believe that he is a very, very good pitcher, and he has no reason to believe other wise. Belief is infinitely more important than talent when it comes to the success of an athlete. Why is Dustin Pedroia in the big leagues? Because he has the biggest belief of anybody he competes against. It is as simple as that. As Santana continues to build his confidence and moxie, there are going to be many more starts like the six he had in April.
2) When you're hot, you're hot. That applies not only to players, but teams as well. What would qualify as hot, you might ask? Well, when you put a pitcher up to pinch-hit, down by two with a runner on, and he takes the first pitch-- a slider on the outside part of the plate, no less-- and drives out of the park to opposite field to tie the game, you are scorching. I don't give a damn that Micah Owings is a great hitting pitcher, and a good hitter period. He still is a pitcher that regularly gets three at-bats once every five days. He is talented, for sure, but I would doubt that he puts as much time into his swing as the position players do. Actually, I don't doubt. I know. That is because he can't; he gets paid to pitch and get hitters out.
This is just how April has gone for these Arizona Diamondbacks, ruthlessly beating everybody into baseball's state of oblivion. Arizona finished April with a 20-8 record, the best in baseball, and by far the best in their own divison. The influx of young talent, from Justin Upton to Chris young to Mark Reynolds, has produced at a clip that is impressive for any ballplayer. But, yeah, 20 year olds aren't supposed to be playing like this at the highest level in the world. Shouldn't happen, but good thing it is because it is creating plenty of great baseball to watch.
This type of success could be taken in two ways, I guess. The first way is you could expect the Diamonbacks to continue on this pace and clinch the divison title by the trade deadline. Even Anton Chigurh from "No Country For Old Men" doesn't have a killing spree like this to his name.
I feel like I'm watching "Beverly Hills Cop" when I'm watching Arizona play lately. Remember the scene where Axel Foley goes to Victor Maitland's mansion, looking for his friend Jenny Summers who had just been kidnapped? Foley is being followed by Sergeant John Taggart and Detective Billy Rosewood of the FBI, whose only job is to make sure that they get Foley out of Beverly Hills and onto a plane back to Detroit. But Taggart and Rosewood know that Foley will not leave until he saves Jenny and Maitland is dead, so they have no choice but to go with him through thr mansion's grounds.
We have Foley running all over the place, diving behind bushes and marble statues, shooting people left and right. That is somewhat believeable, I guess; it is the MVP performance of the movie. But then we have Taggart-- a slow, overweight officer-- scaling concrete walls and squirming around on the grass like he has been ordered to Stop, Drop, and Roll. Rosewood is in awe of his own pistol, so how can we expect him to be a real enforcer, right? The thing is that all of these variables do not stop them from ripping through the complex like the tornado that they have formed, wreaking immeasurable amounts of havoc.
Apply this Beverly Hills Cop model to the Diamondbacks, and this is what we get: The pitching staff-- mainly Brandon Webb and Dan Haren-- are Arizona's Alex Foley. We knew how good they were and we knew that they were going to win games. That was a given. These two guys are the staple of the Arizona show and had to be good if this team wanted to reach its potential. Turns out that Haren has been just as advertised, and Webb has been out of this world. Wrote about Webb recently and how I never udnerstood what made this guy so good. I guess you just have to watch him enough before you get the hang of how he prefers to go about his work. Nonetheless, nobody in the National League can hit him. Does this guy ever give up three runs in one outing? Sure been a while since I have seen it.
Eric Byrnes is Sergeant Taggart for all intents and purposes, but admittedly is much more impresive than Taggrt. Will Byrnes be a stable force and the voice of reason? Yeah, we could expect that much from him. Was he going to match his 2007 output? I didn't, and still don't, think so, but the jury is till out on that as we work our way into May. Byrnes is there to provide some of the wisdom to the youngsters. The advantage that Byrnes brings to the table is that he doesn't play his age, in terms of his energy and enthusiasm for baseball. He may be the one guy in his thirties that can match the exuberence of a 21-year-old. That speaks volumes in and of itself.
Justin Upton is Billy Rosewood, although any of young trio could qualify. Upton has all the potential in the world-- seriously, we are already comparing him to A-Rod?-- and the confidence to make good on his talents now, rather than later. He needs to learn the ropes still, such as not taking lazy fly balls for granted, but those are minor tweaks that come with maturity and experience. The difference that bodes well for Arizona is that Upton, unlike Billy Rosewood, is not in awe of his "gun". He has a cannon, can hit for power and average, and can run with the best of them. The best thing about that? He knows damn well how good he can be. Upton has the confidence to back it all up, and that is what we are seeing right now throughout the entire Arizona clubhouse. If the attitude remains, who knows whether the Snakes can keeping rattling off wins at this pace while hot days turn to unbearably hot days in Pheonix.
As Santana allowed one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings Wednesday on a way to a 4-1 victory, the Angels found themselves with not one, but two pitchers who have started the season by going 5-0 in April. Prior to Joe Saunders' start on Tuesday night, the Angels only had one pitcher in franchise history to do that-- lefty Frank Tanana. But I'm telling you with conviction, this sudden resurrection of Ervin Santan is not about flipping the calendar over and crossingyour fingers.
There is a difference in this kid this year, one that took a whole year to bring to the surface. It took Santana being absolutely humiliated, getting his brains beat in, to injure his pride a little bit. He was supposed to build on a great 2006 and step up into the category of elite big league pitchers, possibly even contending for the Cy Young award. Turns out, Santant wouldn't have even been an elite pitcher in Salt Lake City.
But that is alright. Why? Because sometimes it takes this kind of failure to shake a kid and push him towards reaching his full potential. The Angels should be greatful that Santana faced these kind of struggles early on in his career. More importantly, he hit rock bottomg and has bounced back to where he is now. As we sit here today following his marvelous starts, we reminisce back to the days when Ervin was a rookie, where the sky wasn't even the limit for all the talent oozing out of his right arm. Santana has gotten himself back to that level, all through hard work and determination.
Mechanical flaws can go a long way towards shaping a pitcher, and certainly provide an area for great improvement. But I am not convinced that it is Santana's mechanics that really are the reason for his turn around. He had good stuff last year-- the problem was that 94 mph fastballs were belt high over the middle and were getting raked.
The fundamental difference this year is the newfound attitude and mentality of Ervin. John Lackey is known as the fiery ace from Texas on this Angels staff and is the guy who is ready to jump over the dugout rail any time an opposing pitcher brushes back one of his teammates. But Santana has made that leap effective insanity this season. The guy has turned into The Terminator on the mound-- "I give credit to nobody".
Wednesday night, Santana pounded his fastball inside, and for the first time in a while, actually used his high-octane gas to put the fear of death into some hitters. He used his 96 mph fastball under the chin of the Oakland A's, so his sharp slider on the outside part of the plate would be more effective. This tactic worked to the tune of four hits over the entire evening. This is what we have been waiting for from this kid. Santana in the past has looked bit timid on the mound. Major League stuff combined with Little League belief in himself and his arsenal. That was his problem.
No, no, not anymore. Ervin steps onto that rubber, chomps the heck out of his gum, and rears back and attacks. The swagger is indellible, and therefore the success is inevitable. Santana is starting to believe that he is a very, very good pitcher, and he has no reason to believe other wise. Belief is infinitely more important than talent when it comes to the success of an athlete. Why is Dustin Pedroia in the big leagues? Because he has the biggest belief of anybody he competes against. It is as simple as that. As Santana continues to build his confidence and moxie, there are going to be many more starts like the six he had in April.
2) When you're hot, you're hot. That applies not only to players, but teams as well. What would qualify as hot, you might ask? Well, when you put a pitcher up to pinch-hit, down by two with a runner on, and he takes the first pitch-- a slider on the outside part of the plate, no less-- and drives out of the park to opposite field to tie the game, you are scorching. I don't give a damn that Micah Owings is a great hitting pitcher, and a good hitter period. He still is a pitcher that regularly gets three at-bats once every five days. He is talented, for sure, but I would doubt that he puts as much time into his swing as the position players do. Actually, I don't doubt. I know. That is because he can't; he gets paid to pitch and get hitters out.
This is just how April has gone for these Arizona Diamondbacks, ruthlessly beating everybody into baseball's state of oblivion. Arizona finished April with a 20-8 record, the best in baseball, and by far the best in their own divison. The influx of young talent, from Justin Upton to Chris young to Mark Reynolds, has produced at a clip that is impressive for any ballplayer. But, yeah, 20 year olds aren't supposed to be playing like this at the highest level in the world. Shouldn't happen, but good thing it is because it is creating plenty of great baseball to watch.
This type of success could be taken in two ways, I guess. The first way is you could expect the Diamonbacks to continue on this pace and clinch the divison title by the trade deadline. Even Anton Chigurh from "No Country For Old Men" doesn't have a killing spree like this to his name.
I feel like I'm watching "Beverly Hills Cop" when I'm watching Arizona play lately. Remember the scene where Axel Foley goes to Victor Maitland's mansion, looking for his friend Jenny Summers who had just been kidnapped? Foley is being followed by Sergeant John Taggart and Detective Billy Rosewood of the FBI, whose only job is to make sure that they get Foley out of Beverly Hills and onto a plane back to Detroit. But Taggart and Rosewood know that Foley will not leave until he saves Jenny and Maitland is dead, so they have no choice but to go with him through thr mansion's grounds.
We have Foley running all over the place, diving behind bushes and marble statues, shooting people left and right. That is somewhat believeable, I guess; it is the MVP performance of the movie. But then we have Taggart-- a slow, overweight officer-- scaling concrete walls and squirming around on the grass like he has been ordered to Stop, Drop, and Roll. Rosewood is in awe of his own pistol, so how can we expect him to be a real enforcer, right? The thing is that all of these variables do not stop them from ripping through the complex like the tornado that they have formed, wreaking immeasurable amounts of havoc.
Apply this Beverly Hills Cop model to the Diamondbacks, and this is what we get: The pitching staff-- mainly Brandon Webb and Dan Haren-- are Arizona's Alex Foley. We knew how good they were and we knew that they were going to win games. That was a given. These two guys are the staple of the Arizona show and had to be good if this team wanted to reach its potential. Turns out that Haren has been just as advertised, and Webb has been out of this world. Wrote about Webb recently and how I never udnerstood what made this guy so good. I guess you just have to watch him enough before you get the hang of how he prefers to go about his work. Nonetheless, nobody in the National League can hit him. Does this guy ever give up three runs in one outing? Sure been a while since I have seen it.
Eric Byrnes is Sergeant Taggart for all intents and purposes, but admittedly is much more impresive than Taggrt. Will Byrnes be a stable force and the voice of reason? Yeah, we could expect that much from him. Was he going to match his 2007 output? I didn't, and still don't, think so, but the jury is till out on that as we work our way into May. Byrnes is there to provide some of the wisdom to the youngsters. The advantage that Byrnes brings to the table is that he doesn't play his age, in terms of his energy and enthusiasm for baseball. He may be the one guy in his thirties that can match the exuberence of a 21-year-old. That speaks volumes in and of itself.
Justin Upton is Billy Rosewood, although any of young trio could qualify. Upton has all the potential in the world-- seriously, we are already comparing him to A-Rod?-- and the confidence to make good on his talents now, rather than later. He needs to learn the ropes still, such as not taking lazy fly balls for granted, but those are minor tweaks that come with maturity and experience. The difference that bodes well for Arizona is that Upton, unlike Billy Rosewood, is not in awe of his "gun". He has a cannon, can hit for power and average, and can run with the best of them. The best thing about that? He knows damn well how good he can be. Upton has the confidence to back it all up, and that is what we are seeing right now throughout the entire Arizona clubhouse. If the attitude remains, who knows whether the Snakes can keeping rattling off wins at this pace while hot days turn to unbearably hot days in Pheonix.
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