Yankee Stadium: A Red Sox Requiem

I had the good fortune to visit the Yankee Stadium for the final game the Red Sox will play in those hallowed halls. It was a wonderful day thanks to Yankee Mike’s generosity and the good folks at the Yankee Stadium club buffet (I think I am still full), but it didn’t have the ending I would have preferred. Oki left a ball up in the zone to Giambi and he sent it on a 2 run 420ft trip. The game was down hill from there.

But even more interesting than the 3-2 loss (that was ALL THE BULLPEN’S FAULT) was the atmosphere in the park. I know it was a day game and I know it was the 3rd game of a series… but WOW what a difference. This is the first time I have ever visited the stadium when the Yankees were out of the running for the playoffs (oh and before anyone says anything… they ARE out of it. It’s over. Sox won 2 of 3 and made it look easy. Sorry pals) and I have never seen so many Sox fans cheering openly in hostile territory. What a disappointing way to have such a storied rivalry end in one of the places it was made famous. A third place team beats the team that is 6 games ahead of them. Not epic at all.

As a Sox fan, there is really only one thing I can think about the Yankee’s situation:

It’s hilarious.

Call me bitter, but the Yankees not making the playoffs and being unable to give the blue toilet a proper October goodbye is just the funniest thing to me. Kinda like a big “haha who cares what you did 60 years ago… you suck now!!” but like for 3 months. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

But I digress. It was a good day, a great series and a mediocre sendoff for a place I have loved to hate.

Memories of Yankee Stadium

Inspired by what (we hope) will be Boston's final trip to this iteration of Yankee Stadium and this thread on SoSH, a few of the memories that come to mind from my trips to what DC once called "Hitler's Blue Toilet Bowl." Feel free to add your own reminiscences in the comments...

1. June 9, 2002: My first trip to the Stadium. Alan and I make the drive down from Boston to see Barry Bonds hit dingers off of Roger Clemens, in a matchup that today might be called the Battle of the Ass Injections. No homers to be had, unfortunately; Clemens gives Bonds three intentional walks and a hit by pitch but wins the game. The next day, someone in the Giants organization (manager Dusty Baker, I believe, but I could be wrong) calls Clemens "Roger the Dodger."
2. June 30, 2004: A friend of mine from college, a Yankee fan who grew up in southeastern Massachusetts, also lives in Brooklyn; I go to a number of games with him over the course of 2004 and 2005, including one where we sneak down to field boxes in left field and I marvel at how close home plate looks from 350-odd feet. On the night in question, I went to the Stadium wearing hat and jersey, figuring I'd be safe (we were sitting in the dry section of the bleachers). The Sox lose badly; on the way out, Yankee fans tell me that my beard and long hair make me look like Johnny Damon.
3. Some time in 2004 or 2005: Yankee Mike, who has season ticket connections, invites my then girlfriend/now wife (a Yankees fan) and I to a game against the Devil Rays. The Rays did their usual roll over and die act, so it wasn't much of a game, but before the game we ate in the Stadium Club for the best culinary experience I've ever had at a ball game. The roast beef at the buffet made up for all of the times I had to walk around the Stadium instead of walking past the Stadium Club entrance.
4. April 28, 2005: The first stop on the Alan Bachelor Party Tour, a five day, five game run of New York (Yankee Stadium), Washington, Baltimore, Philly, and New York (Shea). The Angels beat the Yankees; during "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," a gentleman behind us changes "If they don't win it's a shame," to "If they don't win it's cuz they suck," a modification I've tried to keep alive to this day.

[With thanks to Joy of Sox for the SoSH link]

Can I Get a Witness: All-Star Game

As promised, Yankee Mike's extensive All-Star Game recap, giving the blow by blow of the live experience. Enjoy.

I was lucky enough to be at the All-Star Game two nights ago, and since it was basically a farewell to Yankee stadium, I was really excited to go. The festivities at the start of the game were really cool to watch and I took the attitude going in that while it would be a wonderful experience, it's an All-Star Game, and I've never really cared about the outcome.
Bud Selig's status: Happy - things are off to a great start.
Boy was I wrong. The first couple of innings went quickly, with the pitchers really dominating, and although the AL managed a few base runners, neither team really threatened to score. In the top of the fourth, Ichiro reminded everyone why he wins the Gold Gloves every year, throwing an absolute strike from the right field corner to nail Albert Pujols, but Holliday homered to make it one to nothing in the fifth and AL ERA leader Justin Duchscherer gave up a sac fly in the sixth to update deficit to two.
Bud Selig's status: Embarrassed - he was on the field for a cancer charity event and they mispronounced his name, and he got booed because New York crowds are fun.
The AL is now building an all too common Yankee Stadium theme: the home team is not scoring any freakin runs. The NL is rolling, looking ready to end their stretch of 12 winless years in the Midsummer Classic, with the NL ERA Leader Edinson Volquez on the mound. JD Drew has other ideas, though: he pulls off the impossible. Not the home run: a standing ovation for a Red Sox player tying a game at Yankee Stadium. The place went nuts when the ball cleared the wall in right and now the crowd is really into the game.
Bud Selig's status: Smiling - the game is good, and the crowd is finally into it.
Papelbon promptly gives the run back in the top of the eighth - every Red Sox used in middle relief or a setup role has struggled this year, why stop now? - (Ed note: Dioner Navarro and a cascade of boos from the "home" crowd helped), but fortunately for the AL, Clint Hurdle called on Billy Wagner to pitch the bottom of the inning. Now, to Hurdle's credit, he let Brian Wilson get the first 2 outs, bringing Wagner in the lowest pressure situation possible. Like clockwork, the bigger game, the more important the stage, the more likely Wagner is to fold like a cheap house of cards. Single, stolen base, double, and seven pitches later we're tied again.
Bud Selig's status: Elated: The game is exciting and Mariano Rivera will probably get to pitch a meaningful inning.
Not only meaningful, but stressful, too: Rivera comes in to the loudest ovation of the night, and promptly picks up a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play. In the tenth, he made things a little more interesting but picks up a 6-4-3 double play, compliments of the Texas middle infield.

The bottom half of the tenth rolls around, and courtesy of a brace of errors by Dan Uggla, resulting in "Hit it to Uggla"and " Uggla MVP" chants, the AL loads the bases with no outs, and the crowd figures ballgame is over...but continuing yet another all too common trend at the stadium this year, the AL fails to get the clutch hit and score the run. Aaron Cook pulls a Houdini act, gets three straight ground balls and escapes, leaving the bases loaded. AL count for runners left on in extra innings: three.

Top of the eleventh goes quick, and the AL puts Kinsler on first, but he's promptly caught stealing. Kinsler thought he was safe, and actually stood on second looking really pissed off; it was nice to see the players getting into it. Navarro walks, Drew singles, Young singles, and the game looks over again, but wait for it: McClouth guns down Navarro at the plate, Christian Guzman makes a great play on a chopper, and the inning is over. AL count for runners left on in extra innings: five. Francona and Hurdle are taking years away from their lives as they stare down into their bullpens, seeing fewer and fewer options.
Bud Selig's status: Smug - his plan of "This one counts" is working beautifully, the players actually look the care and so do the fans.
Now the crowd is really buzzing, this has turned into one hell of a baseball game. The NL loads the bases in the bottom of the twelfth with one out, brings up Dan Uggla with a chance to win it, and he whiffs as a part of his super awesome excellent day. George Sherrill comes in, gets Adrian Gonzalez swinging at strikes three, and...inning over. Sherrill is pumped, the crowd is on its feet going nuts and we are headed for the bottom of the thirteenth.
Bud Selig's status: Slight Concern - it's getting really late on the east coast and both teams are starting to run low on pitchers.
Marmol leaves a guy stranded at second (AL count for runners left on in extra innings is now six), Sherrill racks up another quick inning and we head to the fourteenth inning stretch. Brandon Webb isn't supposed to pitch in this game because he tossed 110 pitches Sunday, but in the fourteenth inning, the rules get tossed out. He makes quick work of the three AL hitters. Sherrill comes out for another inning, goes 3 up 3 down, and goes back to the dugout having pitched 2 1/3 innings. For you Orioles fans, that's the first time he's gone two innings all year. I'm sure the O's front office is thrilled.
Bud Selig's status: About to Light Himself on Fire - the AL has only Kazmir (who pitched on Sunday); the NL has only Lidge (a closer). This game needs to end now or A) he will have to call another tie, or B) managers will have to accept the position players' offer to pitch. Rumor has it that Drew offered to toe the rubber, and Hurdle was looking towards David Wright.
Top of the fifteenth: Kazmir comes in, and the word from the radio guys is he can go 30 pitches tops. He gets the NL to go quietly, and now Lidge comes in. At this point, he's warmed up 6 times. I'm sure the Phillies are thrilled right now, too. After McCann makes an appearance, meaning every available guy on both rosters has appeared in the game. Finally, something happens. Morneau singles, Kinsler gets robbed by Ludwick in left (great diving play), Navarro singles, Drew walks (getting another cheer, and yes, it was weird for me too), followed by a pop up to right field. Hart catches it and comes up firing.

Morneau's foot and the ball gets to the plate at the same time. Umpire calls him safe, the fans still there go nuts, the AL players mob Morneau at home and Michael Young at first, and the AL walks off what was one of the most exciting games I have ever seen.
Bud Selig's status: Almost Catatonic - he almost had another All-Star Game farce, which would have A) destroyed the All-Star Game, and B) put the post-season into a bit of chaos. In the end Bud got lucky, this may go down as the best All-Star Game ever.

Game 64: The Bloom Comes Off the Rose

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 0, Seattle Mariners 8

Bartolo Colon has never gone 4 and 0 to start a season before...

He still hasn't done so.

Of course, to be fair, he would no doubt find it much easier to break that personal record if he hadn't helped commit two of the team's three errors last night; it's surprising how quickly six hits and a walk turns into six runs if you're not careful. So, on the balance, pity pluses to the big man for having a decent pitching line marred by three unearned runs and responsibility minuses for committing two of the errors that caused those runs. Summed up, it makes for a crappy night against a terrible team that's deep into confused mediocrity. And to think: not 18 hours ago a friend and I were wishing we could see yesterday's game in person instead of today.

And what of the offense? Seven hits and not a runner crossing plate? Nine men left on base? Talk about your case of the dry heaves. Playing without Manny, Ortiz, and Ellsbury didn't help, but I was ready to assign the blame to the theory posited by Yankee Mike (through Robin) in yesterday's post - i.e, that the Sox are just playing to the level of their opponents - until I looked at King Felix's splits in Fenway. Already a more than decent pitcher against the Sox - 12 earned runs, almost as many strikeouts as baserunners in 35.1 innings ain't bad at all - Hernandez has yet to give up a run in 15 innings in Fenway. Fifteen innings! Sounds like he should be in a Red Sox uniform when he hits free agency...

Speaking (sort of) of missing players: congrats to the Trot Nixon Seven on their suspensions after the brawl two days ago. None of the results surprise me except for Sean Casey; how does a man known as the Mayor end up making enough of an impression on tape to get suspended for fighting? He must have been sneaking in sucker punches like a madman. You know, kinda like Johnny Gomes.

As I hinted broadly above, I will be at today's game. Since moving to New York coming on five years ago, I've seen the Red Sox on the road at Yankee Stadium, and I've been to Fenway on a tour, but I haven't seen the Red Sox play at home. Needless to say, I'm about as excited as a kid about to see their first baseball game and I've developed an entirely irrational desire for everything to go my way: good weather, easy transportation, interesting ball game, a win. We'll see which things come true, but I'll place most of faith in Tim Wakefield. Go Sox!

The NL Central: Letters of the NL Central

This week's preview of the NL Central comes courtesy once again of Yankee Mike, who analyzes the strengths and weaknesses (mostly weaknesses) of the National League's most interesting division in letter form.

Pittsburgh Pirates: 65-70 wins

Dear Pirates season ticket holder,

It is that time of year again: time to break out the checkbook and renew your season tickets to your Pittsburg Pirates. Look what you have to be excited about: You get to follow the Pirate lottery, and see who we decide to trade by midseason. (Jack Wilson and Jason Bay both have value). Also, look how we improved this offseason. We didn’t didn’t decide to sign any random veterans this offseason, which opens space for Nyjer Morgan, Nate McLouth and Jose Bautista to play and maybe have some success. The top of our rotation is solid enough with Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny, and while you’ve never heard of either of them, trust us, they are pretty good. Our bullpen also isn’t totally terrible with Damaso Marte, John Grabow, and a few other guys no one has heard of but somehow manage to get the job done. It’s true that we might struggle to score runs - Bay’s help in the middle of the order is Adam LaRoche and Xavier Nady, after all, and the top and bottom of the order doesn’t get much better - but hitting a baseball is hard, and our players try their best. Also, remember not to panic, things will get better, even though we rank as one of the 5 worst farm systems in baseball.

Assuming our new GM isn’t a moron, and our owner will spend some money, it may seem like we’re a few years from being relevant. Maybe we won’t contend at all this year, which will give us an excuse to blow up the team and rebuild. For our long term potential of success we ask our fan base to not hope for a .500 record through our first 50 games to take away all temptation of trading for veterans. Take heart Pittsburg fans, the Steelers training camp is only a few months away, but until then, spend some time at the ballpark with us, your Pittsburg Basement Dwellers…I mean Pirates.

Sincerely,

The Pirates Sales Staff


St. Louis Cardinals: 70-74 wins

Dear every player, fan and employee associated with the St, Louis Cardinals,

I am writing to inform you your bill is passed due and now is the time for collection. Because you won the World Series two years ago as an 84 win team, you have thrown the scales out of balance and now it is time to return things to order. Consequently, we have decided to take the following actions:

1. Your best player (Albert Pujols) now has an elbow injury that will sideline him for the year if operated on, and although he says he can play, currently cannot extend one of his arms fully.
   
   
2. Your best pitcher (Chris Carpenter) underwent Tommy John surgery last July and is out until at least midseason, and possibly will not return until 2009. Your second best pitcher (Mark Mulder) has not even begun to throw batting practice yet, and has not faced a live hitter since last July.
   
   
3. We have decided to have your middle infield consist of Adam Kennedy and Caesar Izturis. Enjoy the combined .250 BA, 50 RBI and eight home runs.
   
   
4. We have decided to saddle you with the following outfielders: Rick Ankiel, Skip Schumaker, Ryan Ludwick , Scott Spiezio, Josh Phelps and Colby Rasmus (who will be a fabulous player in a few years). Please pick three to man your starting outfield spots.
   
   
5. With Mulder and Carpenter out, we have decided to grant you Braden Looper, Kyle Lohse, Joel Piniero, Anthony Reyes, and Brad Thompson to fill out your starting rotation. Enjoy the quality pitching.

To show that we are not all bad, we did grant you Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright, and Colby Rasmus, who will provide entertainment. Plus, we removed Scott Rolen from town, removing LaRussa’s temptations to go out drinking and driving. Enjoy Troy Glaus and all of those DL trips!

Sincerely,

Karma


Houston Astros: 72-76 wins

Letter to a therapist:

Doctor,

Lately I have been feeling very conflicted, like two different parts of my brain (one smart, one stupid) are fighting for control. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore (and no one else has been able to figure it out either). Here’s what’s happened:

First, I traded some middle of the road prospects for Miguel Tejada. This should be a good move for me, as Tejada should put up huge numbers in Minute Maid Park, although reports out of Spring Training thus far suggest that he has about as much range at short as Robin and might not be able to play a full season at the position.

Next, the dumb side of my brain kicked in, and I let Adam Everett go after the Tejada deal instead of keeping him as insurance in case Tejada can’t play short. Then my smart side kicked back in, and I traded Brad Lidge and his Pujols-battered psyche for a centerfielder - but then I followed that deal up by signing another centerfielder (Darin Erstad) even though we have nowhere to put him. Then the smart side put together a lineup that may actually score some runs, with Tejada, Berkman, and Carlos Lee providing power in the middle, and possible contributions from Wiggington and Hunter Pence. True, Kaz Matsui probably won’t hit outside of Coors field, and no one seems to know what Michael Bourn will do, but we’re in the National League; we could do worse.

Unfortunately, the bad side of my brain took over building the pitching staff: I have an ace (Oswalt), a third or fourth starter (Wandy Rodriguez) and three fifth starters (Backe, Williams, and Chacon), which adds up, at best, to a mediocre rotation. Our bullpen isn’t much better: we have Doug Brocail as the top setup guym but the rest of the bullpen had WHIPs last year of 1.44, 1.40, 1.38 and 1.64. I did sign Jose Valverde at the back of the bullpen as the closer, but I’m pretty sure the warring sides of my brain have messed up my team’s chances of competing until I can work this problem out. Please help.

Sincerely,

Ed Wade, Astros GM


Cincinnati Reds: 81 wins with upside

Dear Mr. Dusty Baker, Manager, Cincinnati Reds,

We realize you have been in the Major Leagues a long time, and successfully managed to ride Barry Bonds to a World Series. However, we feel that we must make the following points about handling the Reds this year:

1. Veteran players are not always better. You have Joey Vatto, Jay Bruce, Homer Bailey, and Johnny Cueto all sitting there, ready to play, get some Major League experience and give you some serious upside potential. I’m sorry, Corey Patterson and his .304 OBP is not the solution to your lead off troubles, nor is 38 year old Scott Hatteburg the correct answer at first base. Please, please, please play the kids and see what happens.
   
   
2. You need more than 2 starters to win over the course of a season. Yes, Aaron Harang is one of the best pitchers no one knows about, and Bronson Arroyo does a good job in the National League. As much talent as Bailey and Cueto have, asking them to be a combined reliable number 3 starter is a stretch, which leaves you with Matt Belisle and his 1.44 WHIP and 5+ ERA. We’re sorry, that isn’t going to get it done.
   
   
3. Yes, Francisco Cordero is a solid closer, but getting him the ball are the likes of David Weathers, Bill Bray, Mike Stanton, and Gary Majewski; not exactly a shut down bullpen. Remind us again why you spent 46 million dollars on Cordero when your team will never hold a lead to hand him the ball?
   
   
4. We hope you’re feeling blessed, because you will have to outslug people to win, and to do so you need a healthy Griffey Junior, a repeat year from Brandon Phillips, and improvement from Edwin Encarnacion. You’ll also need to actually play Joey Votto and realize that Corey Patterson is a black hole at the top of your lineup.

Please sir, we beseech you: do not fall into the veteran trap; go for the youth!

Sincerely,

The Concerned Fans in Cincinnati


Milwaukee Brewers: 85 – 90 wins

Dear Magic Eightball,

Please grant me the answers to the following question, so that I may know my beloved Brewers will do this season.

1. How many starts will Ben Sheets make? If he makes 30 starts, the rotation with Jeff Suppan, Yovani Gallardo, Save Bush and Carlos Villanueva looks pretty good. With Sheets on the DL it looks slightly more ordinary.
   
   
2. How good will the bullpen be? On paper, it is one of the better bullpens in baseball. Eric Gagne, David Riske, Derrek Turnbow (when he throws strikes), Salmon Torres, and Guillermo Mota all have histories of success, but bullpens vary wildly from year to year. How will this group perform?
   
   
3. Which of the young guns will take a giant leap forward? Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, and Ryan Braun all have shown some serious offensive potential, and if they continue to build on that success, this could be a very dangerous lineup, especially since JJ Hardy, Bill Hall, and Mike Cameron fill out the other slots in the order nicely.
   
   
4. Which will be higher, the combined batting average of Tony Gwynn, Jr. and Prince Fielder, or the combined weight of their fathers, Cecil and Tony Gwynn, Sr.? Not really a baseball question, but one that Vegas should definitely take bets on.
   
   
5. Who will win the most sausage races: the bratwurst, the polish sausage, the Italian sausage, the hot dog or the chorizo? Will the hot dog be able to defend his 2007 title? Inquiring minds and odds makers need to know.

Sincerely,

Bernie Brewer, Brewers Team Mascot


Chicago Cubs: Beyond winning and losing

Dear Baseball Gods,

We realize you are very busy this time of year, but please, hear our impassioned plea. We have been suffering for 100 years since our last championship, and now they are trying to rename our beloved Wrigley field to something like the Maxi Tampon Center or something. The ownership has finally done the right thing, adding Kyusoke Fukodome to fill the void that was right field. Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez on the corners of the infield can both hit, and Alfonso Soriano has more talent than most people could wish for. Carlos Zambrano anchors a good a rotation with Rich Hill, Ted Lilly, John Lieber and Ryan Dempster, giving us easily the deepest rotation in the NL Central and maybe the best top to bottom of any National League team not named the Padres. Even the bullpen could be good, assuming you in your wisdom prevent Kerry Wood’s arm from falling off and keep Bob Howry and Carlos Marmol anywhere close to what they were last year.

Please also grant Lou Pinella the wisdom not to hit Soriano and Theriot one and two ahead of Lee and Ramirez, so the middle of the order actually has guys on base when they come to bat. Finally, please give the Orioles the wisdom to realize that they’re beyond terrible this year, and trade us Brian Roberts so we don’t have to rely on Mark “Definition of Average Player” DeRosa.

We have endured 100 years of losing and the Curse of the Billy Goat; we watched Bartman tip that ball, and we suffered as Mark Prior and Kerry Wood get hurt year after year. We watched in 1984 and 1989 as we blew leads in the NLCS and we watched last year as the Diamondbacks swept us out of the playoffs. On paper, we have the best team in the NL Central; please in your wisdom let the standings reflect that statistical truth at the end of the season.

Sincerely,

Every person in Chicago, minus all those stupid White Sox fans

Snakes On a Train to Glory: NL West Preview

Next up on the list of 2008 MLB previews: Yankee Mike's thoughts on the NL West. It doesn't sound like the weakest division in the junior league will offer anything new this year, but watch out for those Diamondbacks...

San Francisco Giants – AARP All-Stars

The Giants are going to be pretty bad; I think pretty much everyone in the modern world will agree with this. However, normally when you have a bad team you look for a few bright spots. Let’s go down the checklist for the Bond-less Giants:

1. Good young position players who might make an impact: well, the Giants’ current infield (Aurilla, Vizguel, and Durham, plus a third baseman to be named later) is a combined 112 years old (no, that isn’t a typo), and the projected outfield of Aaron Rowand, Randy Winn and Dave Roberts has an average age of 33 – and they’re all signed through 2009.
   
   
2. No really terrible contracts while we rebuild: Well, Barry Zito is making $126 million; Rowand got $60 mil for 5 years; and Randy Winn, Dave Roberts, and Bengie Molina are all signed through 2009. Honestly, I’m not sure exactly what Brian Sabean was thinking, although it’s possible he thought he gets a discount if he has players eligible for social security…

The only real bright spots on this team are Matt Cain, and Tim Linceum, two very talented young starters who have the potential to be excellent. However, unless they each win 30 games, the Giants are pretty much guaranteed to finish last in the division.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Youth Movement…Please?

Look at that lineup of stars: Rafael Furcal, Nomar, Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones and Juan Pierre, with Jason Schmidt and Derek Lowe starting; that’s the makings of a solid team, right? Wait, you mean it’s no longer 2000?

…

This team might be in trouble.

Sarcasm aside, the Dodgers do have some serious talent coming. Matt Kemp (OF), James Loney (1B), Andy LaRoche (3B), and Russell Martin (C), plus pitchers Clayton Kershaw (best pitching prospect in the minors) and Chad Billingsley could all be big time players. However, the Dodgers went out and hired Joe Torre, who – though he’ll do a great job with the LA media and inspire player love – is very loyal to veterans and tends to not play rookies, which is what the Dodgers really need him to do.

The Dodgers are banking on a shaky likelihood of an Andruw Jones resurgence and the even shakier durability of Nomar, Kent, and Jason Schmidt, but probably have enough talent to win somewhere in the neighborhood of 75-80 games. If the youth gets to play, toss in some exciting upside and maybe some development for future season.

Colorado Rockies – Legit Threat or a Fluke Run

The Rockies’ insane run at the end of last season was sparked by a mixed group of veterans and kids throwing their brains out. The question is: was that success a flash in the pan, or are they solid ML starters? Francis at the top is good enough to get by with, and Cook will eat innings, but the Rockies need their younger starters to give enough quality innings to be successful. The success of their staff is dependant on what Ubaldo Jimenez, Jason Hirsh and Franklin Morales contribute. Jimenez held opponents to a .228 batting average in 15 starts, while Morales threw 8 solid outings down the stretch (3.43 ERA, 1.22 WHIP .241 BA against), and somehow I doubt those sets of numbers will be repeated for an entire season.. Hirsch didn’t last 20 starts, and Cook checked out in August, which really makes me concerned about the Rockies starters.

The bullpen, however looks pretty good. Hopefully, they will pull a video game move and use Manny Corpas closing and keep Fuentes setting up (The Rockies started clicking when they stopped blowing leads last year right when Fuentes got hurt). Luiz Vizcaino will benefit being back in the NL and should help stabilize the back of the bullpen, but if you’re a Rockies fan, make sure to take the time to enjoy that hanging slider flying 700 feet the other way in the mountain air or the walk of a hitter in a big spot. After watching Vizcaino for a year, both events are coming: you have been warned.

Offensively, I really like this team. Troy Tulowitzki can flat out play, even if you ca’nt pronounce or spell his last name, and Hawpe and Holliday (who will be in the MVP debate again in 2008, and a Free Agent soon after, thanks to Scott Boras) are legit middle of the order bats. Helton can still hit, Atkins can hit and if Taveras can get on base he is a nightmare of the basepath. That is a seriously deep lineup, especially for the NL, if they find any kind of pitching beyond Francis the Rockies will a force to reckon with this year. With that said, I expect the pitching to regress and the Rockies to be at most an 85 win team.

San Diego Padres – A Tale of Two Teams

The Padres have an outstanding pitching staff. Peavy (consistent Cy Young candidate) and Young at the top are a legit 1-2 combo. Maddux just keeps finding ways to win 12-15 games (he’s a machine). The combination of Randy Wolf, PETCO Park, and the national league should toss up some decent numbers, and Mark Prior for $1.5 million could be the year’s biggest steal if he gives the Padres anything in second half of the season. Hoffman is a great regular season closer, and they somehow manage to find success in their bullpen, regardless of who they toss in there. If you put a good offense behind that staff, the Padres would compete in the NL.

The offense is the problem, though: Apparently the Padres management forgot you need to actually score runs to win baseball games. Personally, I love their management strategy: Let’s take 2 guys with diminishing power (Jim Edmonds and Brian Giles at ages 36 and 37) put them in the best pitcher’s park in the NL, and ask them to be middle of order power threats. Seriously, how is this good idea? Khalil Green may or may not be a 30 HR a year guy, and Adrian Gonzalez is a legit bat at first base, but with minimal power in the outfield, the Padres would need a big bat at third, which means that Kevin Kouzmanoff will have to a giant year for the team to compete offensively. Everything is going to have to click for the Padres to score enough runs to win. Given their pitching, I am thinking around a .500 season for the Padres, with the possibility of putting up 88-89 wins for the third straight year if the offense hits enough.

Arizona Diamond Backs – Younger Brothers Strike Back

Arizona has two things going for them they’re very young and very good. Getting Haren from Oakland makes them scary, with probably the best 1-2 pitching punch in the baseball: Brandon Webb is a stud, and Haren had a 3.09 ERA in the AL. Doug Davis drops back to third in the rotation, and if the D-Backs get anything but sneers from Randy Johnson, they have a legit 1-4 in the rotation, with the added bonus of Robin’s latest man crush, Micah Owings. The biggest question mark is in the bullpen; the Diamonsbacks have Chad Qualls and a bunch of young arms, and are hoping 2 or 3 step up and become effective. I’m guessing Juan Cruz starts the season closing.

The youth and talent movement continues in the offense. Connor Jackson is a legit bat at first, Stephen Drew has struck a blow for younger brothers everywhere by becoming better than his older brother (Sorry JD, that 1 homerun doesn’t make you good) – and 27 year old Chad Tracy at third base is one year removed from a 20 HR, 80 RBI season. If he gets hurt, Arizona has Mark Reynolds, who hit .280 (.350 OBP) last year with 17 HRs and 60 RBIs; a fine option off the bench.

In the outfield, Byrnes stole 50 bases last year (yes, I was shocked, too) and while he’ll probably regress some, he’s still a productive player. Chris Young hit 32 bombs last year, and with a bit of strike zone control (.295 was his OBP, not his average) becomes a legit power threat. Last, but not least, there’s the most talented guy on the roster, 20-year-old Justin Upton. Unlike his brother BJ, he can play defense, and he’ll be this team’s best player by 2011. Overall, the Diamondback won 90 games last year, and added Dan Haren. I have no qualms about naming them my pick in the west, and my pick to represent the NL in the World Series.

Game 22: Ashes to Pinstriped Ashes

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 11, New York Yankees 4

Thanks to Mike (and again, thanks!) I have had many different experiences when venturing up to the Bronx, into the lion's mouth. I have been witness to exciting victories, crushing defeats, meaningful games, meaningless games, good times and bad. This was completely different than anytime before. Normally I can keep to myself and my friends, I limit my pro-Sox chatter, exuberance and apparel and I can make it back to Brooklyn without fear of bodily harm.

Tonight, I must admit, I had some fear. The Yanks are in the midst of a slide they haven’t seen since 1991. They can't get a pitcher past the 5th inning, the bullpen is taxed like a Connecticut middle class family and the once mighty bats have been falling flat. Combine this slump with the newfound courage (brazenness) of Red Sox fans and it is a powder keg waiting to go off.

Dice K managed NOT to be the focus of the story once again. He pitched well enough until the bottom of the 4th where his command swayed (as did the strike zone) and the bases were jammed, un-jammed and then jammed again. Again it seemed like his problems compounded and then disappeared in later innings as if he was still lights out. Is this going to be his MO for the rest of the year? 5-6 good innings and one bad one? In person he is very unassuming on the mound. He looks comfortable enough, but not dominating, not intimidating. A common comment from Mike was how little he was scared of Dice K when compared to other top pitchers in the league.

Meanwhile, the Sox bats were able to pounce upon the dwindling Yankee pitching. Pettitte ran afoul of the ump Brian Runge (who was freaking AWFUL all game) in the 5th and lost the lead that they had just gained from Dice K. The bullpen, over used and hapless, quickly let the Sox turn this one into a blowout. Every starter got a hit, Youk and Lugo went deep and even Pedroia managed his second extra base hit of the year. I was on the edge of my seat with joy, but I kept it to myself as I saw the fights going on in the other sections.

Tonight I bore witness as the stalwart hopes of the Yanks fans collapsed as easily as their team’s pitching. The team's losing streak is now at 7 and the fans aren’t taking it well. The crowd was belligerent and looking for an excuse to start trouble…well, those that stayed. The place emptied out in the 7th.

I felt like Snake Plissken as I made my escape through the subway system. Groups of morose, drunken fans wondered aloud if Torre would have a job on Monday and berated any passerby in Red Sox garb. To the 2 girls I met on the D train, you were lucky to get off at 125th. Those guys only got worse as we got closer to Manhattan.

These were the death throes. Do I think the Yankees are “done” as a team this year? No, of course not. It’s only April. But I do think that the fair-weather fans have jumped ship and the whole organization is in scramble mode. Tonight felt like the bottom of the barrel to me. When the temperature dropped in the 7th and the fog started to roll in, it was almost as if smoke was settling on the ashes of a burnt out team and fan base.

Now that I made it back from that dystrophic nightmare, I realize how lucky I am (we are) to be Red Sox fans right now. The Sox are primed with young talent, anchored with stable vets and have a pitching staff that is second to none in the league. If they can continue to hit and this bullpen can continue to hold (Timlin, Okie and Joel were solid tonight) I don’t see why the AL East isn’t ours.

“And I looked to the Bronx, and beheld a red horse in sox: and his name that sat on him was Death, and a second series sweep followed with him.”

Crystal Balls

Often contributor, Yankee fan, and stat head (yeah, he’s 1 for 3), my buddy Mike has used his fortune telling ability to make some predictions of the up coming year. Yeah, I was going to do this, but I figured that I should get a SEMI un-biased opinion (even if I think he is showing obvious Yankee favoritism). These are his opinions and picks… all comments and hate should be directed to him.

God I love passing the buck.

NL East
Atlanta
NY Mets
Philadelphia
Florida
Washington

“The Mets rotation is weak. They don’t have the starters or the bullpen to keep up with Atlanta. Pitching wins.”

NL Central
St. Louis
Cincinnati
Milwaukee
Houston
Chicago Cubs
Pirates

“Cinci is going to be better than people think. They have two solid starters. But until someone proves they can beat the Cardinals, I’m gonna stick with them.”

NL West
LA Dodgers
Arizona
San Diego
Colorado
SF Giants

“Dodgers have a good all around team. Quality pitching staff top to bottom. The D-Backs are a year away from being really good. Their position players need more maturity.”

NL WC- Mets
“The offence still will carry them. They are going to win a lot of games with scores like 9-7.”

NL CY- Roy Oswalt
“He added the change up to his arsenal. He’s going to be amazing.”

NL MVP- Albert Pujols
“Every year Pujols is healthy, he should be defaulted the MVP. He’s that much better than everyone else.”

NL ROY- Kevin Kouzmanoff
“This kid is a career .320 hitter in the minors and doesn’t strike out. He’s gonna be really good for the Padres.”

AL East
NY Yankees
Boston
Toronto
Tampa Bay
Baltimore

“Yankees offense and bullpen is better than the Sox, but the Red Sox have the starting staff. Yankees win with 2 out of 3.”

AL Central
Chicago White Sox
Detroit
Minnesota
Cleveland
Kansas City

“Detroit is due for a let down after the WS run. The Twins are knocked down by injuries, the Indians aren’t there yet… White Sox are the least flawed pick.”

AL West
LA Angels
Seattle
Texas
Oakland

“Oakland cannot replace Zito’s numbers, won’t happen. Angeles are the best team in the West top to bottom. Seattle is close but is missing one or two starters.”

AL WC- Red Sox
“Offensively they are near the second best team in baseball, their staff is near the best. They are in the wrong division. Yanks and Sox are the best two teams in the AL.”

AL CY- Felix Hernandez
“Older, wiser, he’s in really good shape, won’t coast his way through this year and I didn’t want to go with the obvious choice in Santana.”

AL MVP- Vlad Guerrero
“Ortiz is out because of the DH thing. A-Rod is too disliked, but is the Yanks best player stats wise. Vlad has the stats and he should carry his team enough offensively to put him over the top.”

AL ROY- Alex Gordon
“He is a 5 tool player who is going to be fantastic. Superstar make up.”

NLDS
Atlanta over St Louis
LA Dodgers over NY Mets
“In a short series the pitching is the answer for both these wins. Bullpen and starters in a short series will be the deciding factor and Atlanta and the Dodgers win in those categories.”

ALDS
NY Yankees over Chicago White Sox
LA Angels over Boston
“This is a battle of bullpens. Angels and Yankees win because of the superior mid relief.”

NLCS Atlanta over the Dodgers- “Pitching again. When in doubt, go with the better staff.”

ALCS Angels over Yankees- “Yanks never do well against the Angels.”

WS Angels over Atlanta- “AL is MUCH better than the NL again this year. Safest bet is the AL team despite the Cards victory last year.”

Game 159: Wake Me Up When September Ends

I’m not going to lie to you: I’m pretty checked out of this season at this point. I’ll enjoy the wins as they come, but a blowout on a night when there are other things occupying my attention? I’ll pass. Still, we promise to chronicle the highs and the lows, so the show must go on…but I suckered our old friend Mike into writing for me today. The man is truly a gentleman and a scholar. Here, then, is one man’s attempt capture the frustration of all of RSN about last night:

Final Score:

Boston Red Sox 0, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 11

Going into the game, things looked pretty good for the boys from Boston. TBay starter Tim Corcoran was on his way to tying for the worst record by a starting pitcher in the last 50 years since the all-star break (0-10) and he was facing Josh “Jekyll & Hyde” Beckett (about 33 ERs in his starts the Sox win, 81 runs in the other games). This is a formula for success right? A home game? Against a guy who isn’t exactly Cy Young? All right, no problem; should be a win, right? Alas, it was not meant to be, and the Sox get shutout for the 8th time this year with…5 hits?!? That’s all we got, 5 goddamn hits?!? I know it’s game 159, the Sox aren’t in the playoffs and the players are ready to hit the golf course, but 5 hits, against the FREAKING D-RAYS?!?!?!?!

But of course we believe in optimism, so here are some positive thoughts going forward:

• Josh Beckett threw 200 innings for the first time in his career. He didn’t get hurt (no blister, no shoulder issues) at all this year – now he has the goal of getting 200 quality innings.


• The Sox defense showed up, making no errors for a record 108th time this year. We have defense, if the pitching had shown up all year, things might have been ok (this means you Josh, and the Larry, Mo and Curly representing the 4th and 5th starters).


• Wily Mo Pena didn’t spike himself in left field. It’s a small step, but a positive one.


• Hanson, Delcarmen, and Lopez didn’t give up a hit between them. True, it was 11-0 at the time, but it’s the thought that counts.


• And lastly, with this game out of the way, the end of the season and the Pats playoff run is one day closer. Go Sox!

Tale Of The Tape: David “Big Papi” Ortiz Vs. Derek “Jeets” Jeter In The MVP Race

Note: Once again for your off-day pleasure Robin and I have another feature from our friend Mike, the Connecticut Yankees Fan/Stat-head. This time, as a preview of the upcoming Yankees/Red Sox series in Fenway, Mike takes a look at the respective cases for David Ortiz and Derek Jeter as 2006 MVP candidates. Just to fan the flames, you might also want to see this piece on Sportszilla, which makes the case for Travis Hafner as the 2006 MVP. We hope you enjoy and make sure to give us your thoughts on the matter in the comments section.


Why Ortiz Will be the MVP:

David Ortiz is a middle of the order guy and the voters tend to go for that type; only Ichiro and Henderson have won the MVP in the AL as top of the order hitters since 1990. He is the big hitter, always looking for the fight ending haymaker. Currently, he leads the AL in RBI (110) and HR (41) and is third in runs (86), ninth in OBP (.396) and fifth in OPS (1.014). Ortiz ups his game with runners in scoring position (RISP), hitting .297 with an OBP of .430 – both above his seasonal average – and an OPS of .993. With RISP and 2 outs, he hits .283 with an OBP of .433 and an OPS of .980. He also becomes a monster in close and later situations (from the 7th inning on, either ahead by a run, tied, or with the tying run at least on deck), working the following stats: AVG (.303), OBP (.403), HR (11) – no, that isn’t a typo – RBI (25), SLG (.851) and an OPS of 1.254. He has 5 walk off hits this season, including 3 home runs.

The monster RISP numbers are important to the argument, but so is the lower slugging percentage, which is a demonstration of his hitting intellect: Ortiz isn’t trying to drive the ball out of the ballpark, just hit a single to score the run. In other words, he understands the situation and does the thing that’s best to help his team win. Further, when the game is close and late, forget about it – those walk off wins and the reputation that goes with them make him a rightly feared hitter. Ortiz is the MVP because of his presence in the middle of the order, where he hits home runs, racks up RBIs and makes necessary hits with RISP and because of his deadly nature in late situations with the game on the line.

Why Jeter Will be the MVP:

Derek Jeter is having one of his finest seasons at the top of the Yankee order and he is also a fielder, giving him an advantage in the voting over a DH. More of a fighter than a slugger, Jeter works the jab, only occasionally going for the knockout blow. Currently, he is second in the AL in AVG (.344), ninth in runs (80), seventh in steals (26) – caught only 3 times – and fourth in OBP (.421), with 70 RBIs hitting in the 2-hole in the order. Derek also gets locked in with RISP, hitting .377 with an OBP of .485 and an OPS of .994. With RISP and 2 outs these numbers jump even higher, with an AVG of .395, and OBP of .527 – no that isn’t a typo either – and an OPS of 1.085. Jeter is also a very tough out in close and late situations, hitting .303 with an OBP of .446, meaning he is looking to get on base anyway he can and hope the next guy in line can knock him in.

Jeter is on pace for another 200 hit, 120 run, with OBP, SLG, RBI, BB and steals all higher than his career averages. Jeter is the MVP because of what he means to the Yankee lineup, not only setting the table for other guys, but also becoming deadly when he sees baserunners to be knocked in, especially with 2 outs.

My Fight Card So Far:

Heading into the late rounds (second half of August and all of September), I would still give the edge to Ortiz. His power numbers and ability to produce in close and late situations puts him ahead of Jeter in my mind, although it isn’t as knockout like I originally thought. If one of these two carries their team into the playoffs and the other team doesn’t get in, this debate could get as close as it did with Ortiz and Rodriguez last year.