Spare us the tough love tributes. Good riddance to Bobby Knight. For all of the mothers' sons who felt his brand of abuse made men of them, there were plenty of others who saw him for the boor he was and always will be. And that latter list doesn't even begin to include the writers, telecasters, officials and others who felt his everlasting, invective-laced scorn and contempt.
One writer said things would be far less interesting than they were the day before he quit. What is that ancient Chinese curse about living in interesting times? Others cited his rotten timing and wondered, baring extenuating circumstances such as illness or family crisis, what kind of man who dressed himself in the flag at every turn just ups and quits in the middle of a commitment to his team, his school and his coaching fraternity?
Oh, sure, he marched to his own drummer so little things like contracts and commitments are beneath his brand of individualism, but if you've had a chance to watch any of the lowlight reels on the net today in which Knight tees off on one victim or another, beeps peppering his diatribes every other sentence, you will see a guy who is full of himself, vindictive and is enjoying himself immensely at other people's expense.
In the end, his sudden departure brings us to the biggest surprise of all. Ask not whether we will have Bobby to kick around anymore; more to the point, what unsuspecting dog is about to become his new whipping boy?
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Words We Love To Read
Some recent quotes and snippets from articles we found amusing:
An ESPN report commenting on the possible Orioles-Mariners trade in which O's hurler Erik Bedard and M's outfielder Adam Jones are the principals:
Jones, 22, is regarded by scouts and executives with other teams as a rising star. "He's going to be a monster," said an AL talent evaluator. "If you put he [sic] and Nick Markakis in the same outfield, that is the start of something."
Yes, indeed, without Bedard in the rotation it sure will be the start of something for the O's: a lot more balls heading toward Mssrs. Markakis and Jones.
* * * * * * * *
Mark King of the World Bill Conlin down in the "Unimpressed Column" regarding the Mets signing of Johan Santana:
The pressure is all on the Mets. And when all the zeros are finally in place, the 28-year-old Venezuelan's enormous contract and the Himalayan expectations wrapped around it will subject Johan to more fan and media scrutiny than any pitcher in the history of a city, the Sour Apple, that has made a lot of grown pitchers cry. Hideki Irabu, Jeff Weaver and Kevin Brown come immediately to mind.Santana has pitched his entire big-league career in Minnesota, where pressure is getting shut out in an ice-fishing tournament.
Hold on, Bill. Rich and famous athletes in Venezuela are loath to call attention to themselves under any circumstances and one sure-fire way to do so would be to incur the wrath of President [for life if he gets his way] Hugo Chavez who would probably claim ice fishing is just an imperialist cover for oil exploration. You can be sure Santana would have thought twice before registering for any ice-fishing tournaments.
* * * * * * * *
Golf's Ian Poulter is in a very deep water hazard for allegedly stating he was the only golfer capable of challenging Tiger Woods for supremacy. Needless to say, a humbled yet outraged Poulter invoked the usual defense, claiming he was misquoted. But here's the rub according to a piece on ESPN:
Poulter, who said he had not seen a copy of the full article, added that the interview took place three months ago, and he had not heard from the magazine since.
Please explain to me how anyone would have the temerity to cry foul about being misquoted without reading the entire article first? That's chutzpah!
An ESPN report commenting on the possible Orioles-Mariners trade in which O's hurler Erik Bedard and M's outfielder Adam Jones are the principals:
Jones, 22, is regarded by scouts and executives with other teams as a rising star. "He's going to be a monster," said an AL talent evaluator. "If you put he [sic] and Nick Markakis in the same outfield, that is the start of something."
Yes, indeed, without Bedard in the rotation it sure will be the start of something for the O's: a lot more balls heading toward Mssrs. Markakis and Jones.
* * * * * * * *
Mark King of the World Bill Conlin down in the "Unimpressed Column" regarding the Mets signing of Johan Santana:
The pressure is all on the Mets. And when all the zeros are finally in place, the 28-year-old Venezuelan's enormous contract and the Himalayan expectations wrapped around it will subject Johan to more fan and media scrutiny than any pitcher in the history of a city, the Sour Apple, that has made a lot of grown pitchers cry. Hideki Irabu, Jeff Weaver and Kevin Brown come immediately to mind.Santana has pitched his entire big-league career in Minnesota, where pressure is getting shut out in an ice-fishing tournament.
Hold on, Bill. Rich and famous athletes in Venezuela are loath to call attention to themselves under any circumstances and one sure-fire way to do so would be to incur the wrath of President [for life if he gets his way] Hugo Chavez who would probably claim ice fishing is just an imperialist cover for oil exploration. You can be sure Santana would have thought twice before registering for any ice-fishing tournaments.
* * * * * * * *
Golf's Ian Poulter is in a very deep water hazard for allegedly stating he was the only golfer capable of challenging Tiger Woods for supremacy. Needless to say, a humbled yet outraged Poulter invoked the usual defense, claiming he was misquoted. But here's the rub according to a piece on ESPN:
Poulter, who said he had not seen a copy of the full article, added that the interview took place three months ago, and he had not heard from the magazine since.
Please explain to me how anyone would have the temerity to cry foul about being misquoted without reading the entire article first? That's chutzpah!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The Team To Beat Is....?
Despite the bad news up the turnpike the sun came up this morning in Philadelphia, or at least it would have if not for the rain.
The Johan Santana signing certainly isn't good news for Phillies fans but it isn't the end of the world either. The most surprising detail was how little the Mets surrendered to acquire his services, but that is a topic Twins' bloggers can lament on their time.
Does the trade make the Mets the team to beat in the NL East? Probably. But before we start imagining ticker-tape parades down Broadway, let's not forget New York still has plenty of question marks. Pedro is 38 years old. Billy Wagner is in decline. So is Carlos Delgado. Jose Reyes, once the most exciting and dangerous player in the Mets lineup if not the entire league, utterly collapsed in the second half of 2007. The rest of the Mets starting rotation is not the second coming of the the Orioles' starting foursome in 1979. So let's not start tearing our hair out yet.
If Santana is on his game, and his second half in 2007 wasn't so fabulous either, he replaces Tom Glavine in the rotation and can be expected to add roughly six or seven more wins. Yes, that would have put the Mets over the top last season despite their legendary collapse at the end and begs the larger question in these parts as to whether or not the Phillies have improved themselves in the off-season as well.
The Pedro Feliz signing has impressed at least one Phillie, Jimmy Rollins, who apparently can vividly recall being robbed of a few extra base hits by Feliz. Memories of earlier signings at third base -- David Bell in particular -- are still fresh wounds in these parts. Can Feliz deliver at the plate? Very hard to say, of course. But he is an upgrade over last year's rotation at the hot corner.
Shane Victorino is a better centerfielder than Aaron Rowand and, frankly, plays as hard and with the same reckless abandon. Until last year, Rowand didn't exactly tear things up at the plate, so there is no reason to expect the changeover diminishes the Phils. Jason Werth and Geoff Jenkins should more than adequately handle right field.
The key is pitching and the keys to pitching are Brad Lidge, Brett Myers and Kyle Kendrick. If Lidge recovers his confidence at his new address, Myers matures into the kind of person let alone pitcher we've been waiting for, and Kendrick can continue to develop into the kind of ground-ball pitcher who can thrive in Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies chances are good, Johan Santana notwithstanding.
The Johan Santana signing certainly isn't good news for Phillies fans but it isn't the end of the world either. The most surprising detail was how little the Mets surrendered to acquire his services, but that is a topic Twins' bloggers can lament on their time.
Does the trade make the Mets the team to beat in the NL East? Probably. But before we start imagining ticker-tape parades down Broadway, let's not forget New York still has plenty of question marks. Pedro is 38 years old. Billy Wagner is in decline. So is Carlos Delgado. Jose Reyes, once the most exciting and dangerous player in the Mets lineup if not the entire league, utterly collapsed in the second half of 2007. The rest of the Mets starting rotation is not the second coming of the the Orioles' starting foursome in 1979. So let's not start tearing our hair out yet.
If Santana is on his game, and his second half in 2007 wasn't so fabulous either, he replaces Tom Glavine in the rotation and can be expected to add roughly six or seven more wins. Yes, that would have put the Mets over the top last season despite their legendary collapse at the end and begs the larger question in these parts as to whether or not the Phillies have improved themselves in the off-season as well.
The Pedro Feliz signing has impressed at least one Phillie, Jimmy Rollins, who apparently can vividly recall being robbed of a few extra base hits by Feliz. Memories of earlier signings at third base -- David Bell in particular -- are still fresh wounds in these parts. Can Feliz deliver at the plate? Very hard to say, of course. But he is an upgrade over last year's rotation at the hot corner.
Shane Victorino is a better centerfielder than Aaron Rowand and, frankly, plays as hard and with the same reckless abandon. Until last year, Rowand didn't exactly tear things up at the plate, so there is no reason to expect the changeover diminishes the Phils. Jason Werth and Geoff Jenkins should more than adequately handle right field.
The key is pitching and the keys to pitching are Brad Lidge, Brett Myers and Kyle Kendrick. If Lidge recovers his confidence at his new address, Myers matures into the kind of person let alone pitcher we've been waiting for, and Kendrick can continue to develop into the kind of ground-ball pitcher who can thrive in Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies chances are good, Johan Santana notwithstanding.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Nonpareil
Is there anyone out there who can be compared to Tiger Woods?
In his first start of the season Tiger left the rest of a good field gasping for air after the first few rounds, prompting Justin Leonard to say "There's two tournaments going on. I'm going to try to win the tournament that Tiger's not playing." Then Tiger went on to easily win the tournament, announcing he felt stronger and better than ever.
It's as if the Mets began the first week of the season by collectively tossing three no-hitters, belting fifteen home runs and throwing in a triple play for good measure.
The called Wayne Gretzky "The Great One", a moniker that seems pitifully understated in describing Woods.
* * * * * * * * * *
It wouldn't come as a surprise if the Phillies-Ryan Howard contract squabble grew more acrimonious over the next few weeks as each side digs in its heels. The Phils' alleged brain trust is already underplaying their differences, a sure sign the gulf between them is even greater than $3 million.
Every commentary on the subject mentions the Albert Pujols factor, as in, how much was King Albert paid, for how long and at what point in his career. Frankly, I'd rather have Pujols on my team if I were building one, but that's besides the point. Howard was the leading power hitter in the NL in the last few seasons and big boppers have always commanded big salaries. The Phillies don't have much of a choice if they want to lock up Howard for the long-term and keep him happy in the short one.
On the other hand, Howard's reading on the disrespectomter rises with each passing season, as in, he feels disrespected. When either the subject of his contract or long-termstatus as a Phillie comes up, there has been more of an edge to him since last year's contract negotiations.
Like it or not, management has to understand he is the face of the franchise, the one player most identified around the country as a Phillie.
* * * * * * * * * *
Mike Lieberthal retired. Quietly, without ever calling much attention to himself, Lieby set most of the franchise records for his position. He played wounded for half of his career, which is a shame. Looking at his lifetime stats, it is surprising to realize he batted .274 over his thirteen seasons. One always had the sense he came through sporadically at best, about one in four times.
The biggest knock on Lieberthal in the last few seasons he spent in Philadelphia is that he never seemed to take command of the team as its longest-tenured player, nor did he ever seem to take charge of the pitching staff, especially during a game.
In the end, his was a quiet career...perhaps too quiet given the position he played.
In his first start of the season Tiger left the rest of a good field gasping for air after the first few rounds, prompting Justin Leonard to say "There's two tournaments going on. I'm going to try to win the tournament that Tiger's not playing." Then Tiger went on to easily win the tournament, announcing he felt stronger and better than ever.
It's as if the Mets began the first week of the season by collectively tossing three no-hitters, belting fifteen home runs and throwing in a triple play for good measure.
The called Wayne Gretzky "The Great One", a moniker that seems pitifully understated in describing Woods.
* * * * * * * * * *
It wouldn't come as a surprise if the Phillies-Ryan Howard contract squabble grew more acrimonious over the next few weeks as each side digs in its heels. The Phils' alleged brain trust is already underplaying their differences, a sure sign the gulf between them is even greater than $3 million.
Every commentary on the subject mentions the Albert Pujols factor, as in, how much was King Albert paid, for how long and at what point in his career. Frankly, I'd rather have Pujols on my team if I were building one, but that's besides the point. Howard was the leading power hitter in the NL in the last few seasons and big boppers have always commanded big salaries. The Phillies don't have much of a choice if they want to lock up Howard for the long-term and keep him happy in the short one.
On the other hand, Howard's reading on the disrespectomter rises with each passing season, as in, he feels disrespected. When either the subject of his contract or long-termstatus as a Phillie comes up, there has been more of an edge to him since last year's contract negotiations.
Like it or not, management has to understand he is the face of the franchise, the one player most identified around the country as a Phillie.
* * * * * * * * * *
Mike Lieberthal retired. Quietly, without ever calling much attention to himself, Lieby set most of the franchise records for his position. He played wounded for half of his career, which is a shame. Looking at his lifetime stats, it is surprising to realize he batted .274 over his thirteen seasons. One always had the sense he came through sporadically at best, about one in four times.
The biggest knock on Lieberthal in the last few seasons he spent in Philadelphia is that he never seemed to take command of the team as its longest-tenured player, nor did he ever seem to take charge of the pitching staff, especially during a game.
In the end, his was a quiet career...perhaps too quiet given the position he played.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
They Just Don't Get It.
Ryan Howard and the Phillies clearly do not see eye-to-eye on money. Prior to the start of last season Howard was reportedly upset the Phillies failed to offer him a salary in excess of one million dollars following his winning the MVP award. Instead, they offered him $900,000, a figure that represented an enormous raise while tying him (with Albert Pujols) for the highest salary every paid to a player with less than two years major league experience. Still, many thought, including this observer, the Phillies could have upped the price to the magic number if only to keep their big guy happy. Gestures, alas, are not the Phillies' strong suit.
This winter, Howard, who is eligible for arbitration for the first time, and the Phillies are far apart on money again, Howard reportedly seeking $10 million and the team countering with $7 million. If the two sides even discussed a long-term deal, no one is acknowledging the conversation took place. Meanwhile, the Phillies have previously signed some of their other core players to long-term deals of varying lengths. Speculation is rampant in these parts that should the negotiations proceed to the arbitration panel Howard will win his case. After all, he won the ROY and MVP in successive seasons and followed those with 48 home runs and 136 rbi's in his third year. No one in baseball has hit more long balls and driven in more runs during that stretch, and if you think the paying public doesn't come to see long balls, what are the origins of the fuss over steroids about?
If the arbiters do side with Howard he may very well be content to sign a series of one year deals after that until he reaches free agency. If things get that far, he's gone for sure. For their part, the Phillies seem content to offer Howard short-term money that puts him at or near the top of his category each time negotiations get underway but not more. They just don't get it. This is the guy people come to see. Yes, we love the way Chase plays the game. Sure, Jimmy is the spark plug. But no one wants to be standing in line at the mens' room when Howard comes to bat. After all, how many chances do we earthlings get to watch moon shots?
But the Phillies just don't seem to get it. They don't have to pay Howard the [admittedly crazy] money he deserves and until now they've shown absolutely no willingness to do so. Howard felt disrespected during last season's negotiations and he doesn't feel any better about his treatment during this one. Some guys put those things behind them. Howard won't. By my estimation, the Phillies have about one or two more weeks before the poison the atmosphere forever. They just don't get it and shortly they won't be given another chance to figure things out.
This winter, Howard, who is eligible for arbitration for the first time, and the Phillies are far apart on money again, Howard reportedly seeking $10 million and the team countering with $7 million. If the two sides even discussed a long-term deal, no one is acknowledging the conversation took place. Meanwhile, the Phillies have previously signed some of their other core players to long-term deals of varying lengths. Speculation is rampant in these parts that should the negotiations proceed to the arbitration panel Howard will win his case. After all, he won the ROY and MVP in successive seasons and followed those with 48 home runs and 136 rbi's in his third year. No one in baseball has hit more long balls and driven in more runs during that stretch, and if you think the paying public doesn't come to see long balls, what are the origins of the fuss over steroids about?
If the arbiters do side with Howard he may very well be content to sign a series of one year deals after that until he reaches free agency. If things get that far, he's gone for sure. For their part, the Phillies seem content to offer Howard short-term money that puts him at or near the top of his category each time negotiations get underway but not more. They just don't get it. This is the guy people come to see. Yes, we love the way Chase plays the game. Sure, Jimmy is the spark plug. But no one wants to be standing in line at the mens' room when Howard comes to bat. After all, how many chances do we earthlings get to watch moon shots?
But the Phillies just don't seem to get it. They don't have to pay Howard the [admittedly crazy] money he deserves and until now they've shown absolutely no willingness to do so. Howard felt disrespected during last season's negotiations and he doesn't feel any better about his treatment during this one. Some guys put those things behind them. Howard won't. By my estimation, the Phillies have about one or two more weeks before the poison the atmosphere forever. They just don't get it and shortly they won't be given another chance to figure things out.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Not A Difficult Choice
It is more than obvious to long-time readers of this space that I am something of a moralist, not of the holier-than-thou persuasion, mind you, but a moralist nonetheless. That said, the investigations into steroid use and testimony denying or admitting usage are beginning to get out of hand. Today the FBI announced it would investigate whether Miguel Tejada lied to authorities when he insisted he had not used performance-enhancement drugs.
Frankly, the FBI has bigger fish to fry, much bigger fish. We live in an age of diminishing resources including many human ones and like it or not we are forced to choose where best to apply our efforts and those resources. I'd rather have the Federales out chasing the really bad guys, domestic and foreign, than trying to determine whether an aging shortstop lied or not about using steroids. It's not as though the Feds don't have enough work to do on more matters critical to national security and domestic peace of mind.
Frankly, the FBI has bigger fish to fry, much bigger fish. We live in an age of diminishing resources including many human ones and like it or not we are forced to choose where best to apply our efforts and those resources. I'd rather have the Federales out chasing the really bad guys, domestic and foreign, than trying to determine whether an aging shortstop lied or not about using steroids. It's not as though the Feds don't have enough work to do on more matters critical to national security and domestic peace of mind.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
It's Hardly As Though We Hardly Knew Ya'
Well, so much for baseball heaven. When he was rescued by, er I mean traded to, the St. Louis Cardinals in the middle of the 2002 season, Scott Rolen announced on leaving Philadelphia that his new zip code was located squarely within the borders of baseball heaven whereas his previous address was decidedly south of that region. A native of Indiana, Rolen grew up a Cardinals fan. Now, he would be their starting third baseman. It didn't get any better than that, Scott allowed, at least at the time.
During the intervening years Rolen lost a World Series, won a World Series, won several Gold Glove awards, suffered a few injuries along with a well-publicized falling out with his manager, the self-anointed genius Tony LaRussa. Oh, and he made a ton of money; let's not forget that. Surely, Scott thought upon heading for the city under the Gateway Arch, any place would be an improvement over one that boasted both Larry Bowa and Dallas Green.
Apparently not. Heaven, it turned out, wasn't all it was cracked up to be and after suffering what he thought were one too many indignities, Rolen let the Cardinals know he was ready to move on once more. The news that he will be swapped for Troy Glaus of Toronto, pending both players pass physicals and the Commissioner's Office OK's the financial details of the the deal, comes as a little bit of a surprise only insofar as the destination. I assumed Rolen had a no-trade clause in his current contract and it surprises me to learn he'd consider going to the Blue Jays, who appear to have little chance of overtaking the Red Sox and Yankees in their division, if not holding off the up-and-coming Rays of Tampa Bay. Maybe the idea of occasionally DH'ing appealed to Rolen, who isn't getting any younger and whose shoulder ailments have cost him a fair amount of playing time the last few seasons. Or maybe he decided that baseball heaven no longer included the National League at all; the All-Star games certainly would suggest that was the case.
No matter. In the end, Rolen comes off as a guy who wears out his welcome, which is what some of us though nearly six years ago when he complained bitterly that the Phillies just didn't care enouigh about winning and, by extension, about him.
Out with a whimper.
During the intervening years Rolen lost a World Series, won a World Series, won several Gold Glove awards, suffered a few injuries along with a well-publicized falling out with his manager, the self-anointed genius Tony LaRussa. Oh, and he made a ton of money; let's not forget that. Surely, Scott thought upon heading for the city under the Gateway Arch, any place would be an improvement over one that boasted both Larry Bowa and Dallas Green.
Apparently not. Heaven, it turned out, wasn't all it was cracked up to be and after suffering what he thought were one too many indignities, Rolen let the Cardinals know he was ready to move on once more. The news that he will be swapped for Troy Glaus of Toronto, pending both players pass physicals and the Commissioner's Office OK's the financial details of the the deal, comes as a little bit of a surprise only insofar as the destination. I assumed Rolen had a no-trade clause in his current contract and it surprises me to learn he'd consider going to the Blue Jays, who appear to have little chance of overtaking the Red Sox and Yankees in their division, if not holding off the up-and-coming Rays of Tampa Bay. Maybe the idea of occasionally DH'ing appealed to Rolen, who isn't getting any younger and whose shoulder ailments have cost him a fair amount of playing time the last few seasons. Or maybe he decided that baseball heaven no longer included the National League at all; the All-Star games certainly would suggest that was the case.
No matter. In the end, Rolen comes off as a guy who wears out his welcome, which is what some of us though nearly six years ago when he complained bitterly that the Phillies just didn't care enouigh about winning and, by extension, about him.
Out with a whimper.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
The Other Elections
The Hall of Fame voters corrected a long-standing injustice by electing Goose Gossage yesterday. Generally, commentators attributed the nine year snub in giving Gossage his due to lingering prejudices on the part of many voters against relief pitchers. Nonsense. Hoyt Wilhelm, Dennis Eckersly and Bruce Suter are already members. Moreover, it has been commonly acknowledged for many years now that teams cannot succeed without a quality closer. Resistence to Gossage had more to do with the "relatively low" obvious number -- saves -- than the story behind them -- number of innings pitched. He is a very worthy member of the Hall.
Roger Clemens, on the other hand, may be more than worthy based on the numbers, but he has serious problems looming with the voters when he becomes eligible thanks less to the appearance of his name in the Mitchell report and more to his subsequent handling of the revelations therein. Alleged steroid users' recent history of vigorous denials have been, shall we say, less than satisfactory, and Clemens' defense has been as aggressively orchestrated as any we've ever witnessed. A common thread to several players' howls of protest is that they either didn't know what they were being injected with or insisted the substances were benign. In Clemens' case it's quite possible he was being injected with vitamin B-12, but it's far more difficult to fathom why he was being given lidocaine in his buttocks. We'll leave that discussion to the medical experts, who no doubt are chuckling among themselves. By far the most incomprehensible part of Clemens' current strategy is to announce well in advance -- heck, he isn't even officially retired yet -- that he could care less about future Hall of Fame voting where he is concerned. Ah, yes, the press, cast as villain once again.
* * * * * * * *
A quick glance at the next few years' lists of players eligible for the Hall of Fame contains very few sure bets. Only Ricky Henderson in 2009 and Roberto Alomar in 2010 are likely to get lots of support and Alomar is going to have his detractors for his personal habits involving ejections of substances rather than injections. All of this means this year's biggest loser, Jim Rice, could make it over the top next year, his last before being relegated to the Veterans' committee. More than a few pitchers who faced Rice in his prime acknowledged they dreaded seeing him come to the plate. As a long time Orioles' and AL fan, I recall a similar horror when I saw him in the on-deck circle or striding to the plate. But the other side of the coin is that he couldn't field a lick and did a fair imitation of Pat Burrell (or is it the other way around?) on the base paths. Does hitting alone make him a Hall of Famer? Not really, but when a Bill Mazeroski can get in based largely on his fielding and one home run, Rice is at least as deserving.
Speaking of the Veterans' committee, their rejection of Marvin Miller was the worst example of ingratitude in recent memory. I've yet to read one explanation of why the veterans, who literally owed their personal financial fortunes to Miller, deemed him unworthy of inclusion in their exclusive club.
Roger Clemens, on the other hand, may be more than worthy based on the numbers, but he has serious problems looming with the voters when he becomes eligible thanks less to the appearance of his name in the Mitchell report and more to his subsequent handling of the revelations therein. Alleged steroid users' recent history of vigorous denials have been, shall we say, less than satisfactory, and Clemens' defense has been as aggressively orchestrated as any we've ever witnessed. A common thread to several players' howls of protest is that they either didn't know what they were being injected with or insisted the substances were benign. In Clemens' case it's quite possible he was being injected with vitamin B-12, but it's far more difficult to fathom why he was being given lidocaine in his buttocks. We'll leave that discussion to the medical experts, who no doubt are chuckling among themselves. By far the most incomprehensible part of Clemens' current strategy is to announce well in advance -- heck, he isn't even officially retired yet -- that he could care less about future Hall of Fame voting where he is concerned. Ah, yes, the press, cast as villain once again.
* * * * * * * *
A quick glance at the next few years' lists of players eligible for the Hall of Fame contains very few sure bets. Only Ricky Henderson in 2009 and Roberto Alomar in 2010 are likely to get lots of support and Alomar is going to have his detractors for his personal habits involving ejections of substances rather than injections. All of this means this year's biggest loser, Jim Rice, could make it over the top next year, his last before being relegated to the Veterans' committee. More than a few pitchers who faced Rice in his prime acknowledged they dreaded seeing him come to the plate. As a long time Orioles' and AL fan, I recall a similar horror when I saw him in the on-deck circle or striding to the plate. But the other side of the coin is that he couldn't field a lick and did a fair imitation of Pat Burrell (or is it the other way around?) on the base paths. Does hitting alone make him a Hall of Famer? Not really, but when a Bill Mazeroski can get in based largely on his fielding and one home run, Rice is at least as deserving.
Speaking of the Veterans' committee, their rejection of Marvin Miller was the worst example of ingratitude in recent memory. I've yet to read one explanation of why the veterans, who literally owed their personal financial fortunes to Miller, deemed him unworthy of inclusion in their exclusive club.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Still The Best & Still Not
Refreshed from a three-week layoff, I began the new year optimistically recalling Roger Angell's explanation of why baseball captures the hearts of so many fans. In no other game, Angell wrote, can we observe the vicissitudes of our favorite players' sporting lives on a daily basis, one hundred and sixty-two times a year in the case of baseball. While our own lives may plod on with little or no perceptible change, the fortunes of our diamond heroes ebb and flow constantly as they hit, or don't, catch or miss or throw strikes and balls. This vicarious sharing of other peoples' ever-changing lives brings pleasure to our [mostly] humdrum existence.
* * * * * * * *
The local newspapers are filled with stories noting the quarter century mark in this city's championship drought. Little did I know when I took up residence here in 1978-79 that the those championship years of 1980 (the Phillies) and 1983 (the Sixers) were the exceptions rather than the rules. There have been near misses for all four major teams but no cigars. Should the Phillies acquire more pitching, they remain the best bet to break the streak. The Eagles have too many holes to fill. The Flyers are rebuilding and could be contenders in a few seasons if they get more help on defense. The Sixers do not appear on the radar screen at this point.
* * * * * * * *
The local newspapers are filled with stories noting the quarter century mark in this city's championship drought. Little did I know when I took up residence here in 1978-79 that the those championship years of 1980 (the Phillies) and 1983 (the Sixers) were the exceptions rather than the rules. There have been near misses for all four major teams but no cigars. Should the Phillies acquire more pitching, they remain the best bet to break the streak. The Eagles have too many holes to fill. The Flyers are rebuilding and could be contenders in a few seasons if they get more help on defense. The Sixers do not appear on the radar screen at this point.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The Mitchell Report
Heroes and knaves. All-Stars and also-rans. The Mitchell report named names and pointed enough fingers at just about everyone in baseball when laying blame for the steroid cloud that has hung over the game for more than a decade now.
The list everyone was waiting for included guys who threw the ball and guys who sent it back the other way...a long way in some cases. It also included players who will be forgotten in future years if they haven't been already. And you can be sure there were many other players who somehow escaped the dragnet and were not named. Indeed, it was the report's dependence on too few informants that diminished its potency when it came to identifying the players who had used various substances to enhance their performance.
The report doesn't end with the guys on the field. The Commissioner's office and ownership come in for plenty of criticism, too, as do the retinues of clubhouse figures that are part of the game. The Lords of baseball simply wanted the problem to go away. The Players Union simply refused to accept testing. The only group spared that deserved to be mentioned were the press, who simply looked the other way when players departed in October looking like Olyve Oil and returned in March and April looking like Popeye. This latter group winked a lot, but said nothing until the cat was out of the bag years later. The press overwhelmingly went along for the ride, too afraid to speak up or too constrained by their legal departments, who asked for evidence beyond what the eye could see. The single most repeated excuse I've seen retrospectively invoked by the press is that the height of the Steroids Era came on the heals of baseball's dark period of strikes, suspension of the season and the World Series and the scribes and commentators were loathe to prolong the agony just when fans were beginning to return and embrace the game. A few honest reporters simply said they were reluctant to spoil the fun when Sosa and MacGwire were chasing the Babe and Barry was chasing them and Henry Aaron.
Will the game recover? Yes, indeed. Fans continue to flock to stadiums throughout the land in record numbers especially when the poster boy for all that is enhanced, Barry Bonds, chased and broke Henry Aaron's legitimate mark. Will the record books be amended, asterisks added? That is doubtful. At what point do we start discounting Bonds' tainted home runs, at number 428 or maybe 502? Will the owners and players agree to a drug policy that is both strict and enforceable? That will probably be the one sure outcome though here again much tweaking needs to be done.
It was a sordid period in baseball's history and we can be sure most people who play and manage the game want to put it behind them. Inevitably stories have already begun to appear reminding us of the cheaters of the past. Spitballs, greenies, even alcohol are cited as are shenanigans ranging from stealing signs to grounds' crews tampering with the dirt in front of the plate or along the foul lines. This "they-did-it" defense is as pathetic in baseball as it is in a courtroom. What "distinguishes"the Steroids Era from earlier periods was how widespread it was and how clear and dramatic its impact were on performance by legions of players, not merely the marquee names. Brady Anderson, take a bow!
The recent suspensions of players caught using banned substances suggests not everyone is ready to move on but a tough, uncompromising policy against performance-enhancement drugs is all anyone can ever expect. That and the willingness to apply it without compromise.
The list everyone was waiting for included guys who threw the ball and guys who sent it back the other way...a long way in some cases. It also included players who will be forgotten in future years if they haven't been already. And you can be sure there were many other players who somehow escaped the dragnet and were not named. Indeed, it was the report's dependence on too few informants that diminished its potency when it came to identifying the players who had used various substances to enhance their performance.
The report doesn't end with the guys on the field. The Commissioner's office and ownership come in for plenty of criticism, too, as do the retinues of clubhouse figures that are part of the game. The Lords of baseball simply wanted the problem to go away. The Players Union simply refused to accept testing. The only group spared that deserved to be mentioned were the press, who simply looked the other way when players departed in October looking like Olyve Oil and returned in March and April looking like Popeye. This latter group winked a lot, but said nothing until the cat was out of the bag years later. The press overwhelmingly went along for the ride, too afraid to speak up or too constrained by their legal departments, who asked for evidence beyond what the eye could see. The single most repeated excuse I've seen retrospectively invoked by the press is that the height of the Steroids Era came on the heals of baseball's dark period of strikes, suspension of the season and the World Series and the scribes and commentators were loathe to prolong the agony just when fans were beginning to return and embrace the game. A few honest reporters simply said they were reluctant to spoil the fun when Sosa and MacGwire were chasing the Babe and Barry was chasing them and Henry Aaron.
Will the game recover? Yes, indeed. Fans continue to flock to stadiums throughout the land in record numbers especially when the poster boy for all that is enhanced, Barry Bonds, chased and broke Henry Aaron's legitimate mark. Will the record books be amended, asterisks added? That is doubtful. At what point do we start discounting Bonds' tainted home runs, at number 428 or maybe 502? Will the owners and players agree to a drug policy that is both strict and enforceable? That will probably be the one sure outcome though here again much tweaking needs to be done.
It was a sordid period in baseball's history and we can be sure most people who play and manage the game want to put it behind them. Inevitably stories have already begun to appear reminding us of the cheaters of the past. Spitballs, greenies, even alcohol are cited as are shenanigans ranging from stealing signs to grounds' crews tampering with the dirt in front of the plate or along the foul lines. This "they-did-it" defense is as pathetic in baseball as it is in a courtroom. What "distinguishes"the Steroids Era from earlier periods was how widespread it was and how clear and dramatic its impact were on performance by legions of players, not merely the marquee names. Brady Anderson, take a bow!
The recent suspensions of players caught using banned substances suggests not everyone is ready to move on but a tough, uncompromising policy against performance-enhancement drugs is all anyone can ever expect. That and the willingness to apply it without compromise.
Comings And Goings
Let's not give the Phillies' alleged brain trust too much credit for letting Aaron Rowand depart...they were never really in the running for his services anyway. On the other hand, let's give them some credit for making it clear early on they weren't going to meet Rowand's demands for a long-term contract.
The case for keeping Rowand could be boiled down to three factors: he was a positive presence in the clubhouse and capably filled a right-handed spot in the lineup and in the field. The case for letting him walk was far more substantial: (1) he had a career year in 2007 in a hitters' park and was unlikely to repeat it; (2) he is a vastly overrated outfielder whose greatest attribute is his reckless abandon; (3) he has the type of body that will wear down rapidly at his age, especially given number 2.
A three year contract would have been a stretch. Five years would have been another stupid move by management. Somehow, they figured that out in this case before it was too late.
Good luck to Rowand, a genuine team player. By the way, it's worth noting that he didn't hold out for a contract from a contender. The Giants are going nowhere, on merit and especially in their division. Rowand is going to sacrifice that body of his for the good of his estate planning.
* * * * * * * *
The Orioles made out like bandits in trading Miguel Tejada to the Astros. Not only did they receive five players, three of whom might turn into very decent major leaguers, they also rid themselves of a discontented, aging veteran who is definitely in decline. How extraordinarily uncharacteristic of the O's Peter Angelos, who apparently in another uncharacteristic move (at least for now) is actually giving new GM Andy McPhail some real authority. Now, if he'd let McPhail listen to offers from every major league club for Erik Bedard including teams within his own AL Eastern division, we'd know for sure the Orioles have finally reckoned with the reality that they are a lousy team that must begin the long rebuilding process NOW! The Orioles should emulate some of the Marlins' characteristics, at least the ones in which they look around the majors, identify the players or prospects they want, then call the GM's for said players' teams and say, "Any interest in Brian Roberts? Bedard?"
* * * * * * * *
As long as Johann Santana does not sign with the Mets or Braves, I could care less which team he lands on. Don't get me wrong, I have written previously that the wealthy clubs in MLB are making a mockery of competitive balance, but that state of affairs is not going to change any time soon. If he were to sign with Boston, the AL East race would, barring injuries, be over before it begins. If he were to sign with the Yankees, the race would tighten dramatically. Despite making noises about deadlines, the Yankees are desperate to avoid having him land on the same pitching staff with Josh Beckett.
Meanwhile, Detroit's offense is frightening to behold. Speed, power, bat control. They have it all in their lineup. If they can get their bullpen healthy and get another decent year out of Kenny Rogers, they will run away from the AL Central.
The case for keeping Rowand could be boiled down to three factors: he was a positive presence in the clubhouse and capably filled a right-handed spot in the lineup and in the field. The case for letting him walk was far more substantial: (1) he had a career year in 2007 in a hitters' park and was unlikely to repeat it; (2) he is a vastly overrated outfielder whose greatest attribute is his reckless abandon; (3) he has the type of body that will wear down rapidly at his age, especially given number 2.
A three year contract would have been a stretch. Five years would have been another stupid move by management. Somehow, they figured that out in this case before it was too late.
Good luck to Rowand, a genuine team player. By the way, it's worth noting that he didn't hold out for a contract from a contender. The Giants are going nowhere, on merit and especially in their division. Rowand is going to sacrifice that body of his for the good of his estate planning.
* * * * * * * *
The Orioles made out like bandits in trading Miguel Tejada to the Astros. Not only did they receive five players, three of whom might turn into very decent major leaguers, they also rid themselves of a discontented, aging veteran who is definitely in decline. How extraordinarily uncharacteristic of the O's Peter Angelos, who apparently in another uncharacteristic move (at least for now) is actually giving new GM Andy McPhail some real authority. Now, if he'd let McPhail listen to offers from every major league club for Erik Bedard including teams within his own AL Eastern division, we'd know for sure the Orioles have finally reckoned with the reality that they are a lousy team that must begin the long rebuilding process NOW! The Orioles should emulate some of the Marlins' characteristics, at least the ones in which they look around the majors, identify the players or prospects they want, then call the GM's for said players' teams and say, "Any interest in Brian Roberts? Bedard?"
* * * * * * * *
As long as Johann Santana does not sign with the Mets or Braves, I could care less which team he lands on. Don't get me wrong, I have written previously that the wealthy clubs in MLB are making a mockery of competitive balance, but that state of affairs is not going to change any time soon. If he were to sign with Boston, the AL East race would, barring injuries, be over before it begins. If he were to sign with the Yankees, the race would tighten dramatically. Despite making noises about deadlines, the Yankees are desperate to avoid having him land on the same pitching staff with Josh Beckett.
Meanwhile, Detroit's offense is frightening to behold. Speed, power, bat control. They have it all in their lineup. If they can get their bullpen healthy and get another decent year out of Kenny Rogers, they will run away from the AL Central.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Going Going.....Where?
You can't fire the players, or so the old saw goes. Consequently, the playing fields, corner offices and film rooms of professional sports franchises are littered with the remains of managers, coaches and general managers.
Philadelphia has seen more than its share of carcasses. One more was added to the rolls with the recent canning of Billy King, surely the most dapper but least competent GM's in our championship-starved city in many years. The future of Andy Reid, King's sartorial opposite, whose position heretofore seemed secure, has also been the subject of speculation as the Eagles appear destined to finish out of the playoffs. And the Phillies' Pat Gillick has indicated on more than a few occasions this coming season will be his last. Only the Flyers' Paul Holmgren seems certain to be around for the foreseeable future, his brief tenure thus far marked by a dramatic turnaround of his charges' fortunes.
These guys clearly make a difference...for better or worse. King turned out to be an extremely poor judge of talent and a lousy poker player at the trading table. When his dismissal was announced many people wondered about the timing, the consensus being it came too late. Andy Reid, stoic, stubborn and plodding, has always been fairly inscrutable to the local citizenry but when his teams were perennially winning and making the playoffs if not Super Bowl, those little foibles could be and were forgiven. But with his current team lurching from crisis to crisis each Sunday, the people grilling sausages in the parking lot want to see some passion to match their own. Forget it, fans. The man is not capable of such displays, which is one of the many reasons he can't manage a clock and make good decisions in the crucible of crunch time. You see, Andy still thinks there's plenty of time and nothing to worry about in those situations as well as his own circumstances.
Then there is Pat Gillick. Unlike his famous shortstop, who went out on a limb last Winter and declared his teammates the ones to beat in the NL East, Gillick, if anything, has been known to let it slip that he doesn't think his guys can win any titles. They always seem to be a year or two away according to him. Well, we are entering Gillick's third year at the helm, conceivably his last, and as things stand the Phillies are further from reaching the playoffs than they were last year when they slipped in thanks to their late charge and the Mets' colossal collapse.
Gillick's major failure has been his inability to see the big picture. Rather than put his club in a position to fill its needs with some sort of master plan, instead Gillick has made what for all appearances seem to be a series of disastrous decisions not only in terms of the value received but in terms of the money and prospects spent. His two worst decisions both involved the pitching staff and both came out of nowhere. The ill-advised acquisition of Freddy Garcia should replace Von Hayes in the annals of bad trades by this organization, and while Adam Eaton was perhaps worth some sort of risk, he wasn't worth the price Gillick agreed to. And while we are talking about pitching, the Abreu/Lidle trade netted the Phillies absolutely nothing as did the many trades with Texas. After more than two years the Phillies have absolutely nothing to show for all of those maneuvers.
Lest we forget, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels were all products of an earlier administration. So, too, was Pat Burrell, who remains a Phillie despite obvious attempts to move him. Meanwhile, the outfield has been potentially weakened with the trade of Michael Bourn and the departure of Aaron Rowand and third base remains the Black Hole first described by commenter extraordinaire George Southrey.
The Phillies under Gillick do not have a discernible plan. No one can point at them and say, for example, they are taking the approach of a Billy Beane and his Moneyball or Daniel Dowd in Colorado who has slowly built the organization from the ground up. We are forever hearing some variation on the same theme from Gillick, that there isn't anyone out there who can help or who is affordable. The only themes running throughout his administration are that he likes players from his former teams, either ones he drafted or acquired, and he likes to rummage through the rubbish piles in hope of uncovering a hidden gem. It's a wish-and-a-prayer sort of administration and the results speak for themselves. Were it not for the great offensive core at the heart of this team, all players from the largely discredited Ed Wade period, the Phillies under Pat Gillick would resemble the Sixers more than the Flyers.
Philadelphia has seen more than its share of carcasses. One more was added to the rolls with the recent canning of Billy King, surely the most dapper but least competent GM's in our championship-starved city in many years. The future of Andy Reid, King's sartorial opposite, whose position heretofore seemed secure, has also been the subject of speculation as the Eagles appear destined to finish out of the playoffs. And the Phillies' Pat Gillick has indicated on more than a few occasions this coming season will be his last. Only the Flyers' Paul Holmgren seems certain to be around for the foreseeable future, his brief tenure thus far marked by a dramatic turnaround of his charges' fortunes.
These guys clearly make a difference...for better or worse. King turned out to be an extremely poor judge of talent and a lousy poker player at the trading table. When his dismissal was announced many people wondered about the timing, the consensus being it came too late. Andy Reid, stoic, stubborn and plodding, has always been fairly inscrutable to the local citizenry but when his teams were perennially winning and making the playoffs if not Super Bowl, those little foibles could be and were forgiven. But with his current team lurching from crisis to crisis each Sunday, the people grilling sausages in the parking lot want to see some passion to match their own. Forget it, fans. The man is not capable of such displays, which is one of the many reasons he can't manage a clock and make good decisions in the crucible of crunch time. You see, Andy still thinks there's plenty of time and nothing to worry about in those situations as well as his own circumstances.
Then there is Pat Gillick. Unlike his famous shortstop, who went out on a limb last Winter and declared his teammates the ones to beat in the NL East, Gillick, if anything, has been known to let it slip that he doesn't think his guys can win any titles. They always seem to be a year or two away according to him. Well, we are entering Gillick's third year at the helm, conceivably his last, and as things stand the Phillies are further from reaching the playoffs than they were last year when they slipped in thanks to their late charge and the Mets' colossal collapse.
Gillick's major failure has been his inability to see the big picture. Rather than put his club in a position to fill its needs with some sort of master plan, instead Gillick has made what for all appearances seem to be a series of disastrous decisions not only in terms of the value received but in terms of the money and prospects spent. His two worst decisions both involved the pitching staff and both came out of nowhere. The ill-advised acquisition of Freddy Garcia should replace Von Hayes in the annals of bad trades by this organization, and while Adam Eaton was perhaps worth some sort of risk, he wasn't worth the price Gillick agreed to. And while we are talking about pitching, the Abreu/Lidle trade netted the Phillies absolutely nothing as did the many trades with Texas. After more than two years the Phillies have absolutely nothing to show for all of those maneuvers.
Lest we forget, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels were all products of an earlier administration. So, too, was Pat Burrell, who remains a Phillie despite obvious attempts to move him. Meanwhile, the outfield has been potentially weakened with the trade of Michael Bourn and the departure of Aaron Rowand and third base remains the Black Hole first described by commenter extraordinaire George Southrey.
The Phillies under Gillick do not have a discernible plan. No one can point at them and say, for example, they are taking the approach of a Billy Beane and his Moneyball or Daniel Dowd in Colorado who has slowly built the organization from the ground up. We are forever hearing some variation on the same theme from Gillick, that there isn't anyone out there who can help or who is affordable. The only themes running throughout his administration are that he likes players from his former teams, either ones he drafted or acquired, and he likes to rummage through the rubbish piles in hope of uncovering a hidden gem. It's a wish-and-a-prayer sort of administration and the results speak for themselves. Were it not for the great offensive core at the heart of this team, all players from the largely discredited Ed Wade period, the Phillies under Pat Gillick would resemble the Sixers more than the Flyers.
Monday, December 03, 2007
The Company You Keep & The Company You Don't
The happiest fellows on the 2008 Hall of Fame ballot must surely be Goose Gossage, Jack Morris, Don Mattingly, Jim Rice and Bert Blyleven. What do all of these returning candidates have in common? The likelihood that no newcomers on the ballot will draw votes from them.
Among the newcomers, only Tim Raines seems certain to receive serious consideration from the voters. Among the returning candidates, Mark MacGwire is unlikely to receive much support. This paucity of sure-fire winners will likely mean that Gossage at the very least will finally get the support he deserves. Jim Rice will appear on the ballot for the fourteenth time. He remains a long shot to get the necessary votes, having slipped a little last year.
Will the voters fail to elect anyone? Not likely.
* * * * * * * *
With the news that former Commissioner Bowie Kuhn was one of five people elected to the Hall by the Veterans Committee it is worth remembering the time he voided the deals made by long-time nemesis and adversary Charlie Finley. Finley, always crying poor, had begun the wholesale dismantling of his highly successful Oakland teams by working out deals to sell Vida Blue to the Yankees for $1.5 million and Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers to the Boston Red Sox for $2 million. Kuhn vetoed the sales. (Remember, we are talking 1976 dollars here.)
The Marlins are the strangest franchise in baseball. They've won two World Series in their brief history yet no one goes to see them. They had the worst attendance in MLB last year and are always at or near the bottom. If ever a locale cried out for a domed stadium it is hot, humid and rainy Miami, but the Marlins continue to play in an outdoor football stadium and cannot convince the 18 voters in greater Miami who do come see them in person to persuade several hundred thousand others to fund a new pleasure palace.
Pity the poor Marlin players who perform in front of tens of thousands of empty seats every night. Their best hope is that the Marlins' ownership will either sell the franchise or move it.
Among the newcomers, only Tim Raines seems certain to receive serious consideration from the voters. Among the returning candidates, Mark MacGwire is unlikely to receive much support. This paucity of sure-fire winners will likely mean that Gossage at the very least will finally get the support he deserves. Jim Rice will appear on the ballot for the fourteenth time. He remains a long shot to get the necessary votes, having slipped a little last year.
Will the voters fail to elect anyone? Not likely.
* * * * * * * *
With the news that former Commissioner Bowie Kuhn was one of five people elected to the Hall by the Veterans Committee it is worth remembering the time he voided the deals made by long-time nemesis and adversary Charlie Finley. Finley, always crying poor, had begun the wholesale dismantling of his highly successful Oakland teams by working out deals to sell Vida Blue to the Yankees for $1.5 million and Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers to the Boston Red Sox for $2 million. Kuhn vetoed the sales. (Remember, we are talking 1976 dollars here.)
At the time Kuhn said ''Public confidence in the integrity of club operations and in baseball would be greatly undermined should such assignments not be restrained." Years late he added, ''If we let Finley's deals go through, how were we going to stop the weaker clubs from selling off players to the stronger ones, and what would become of competitive balance?''
The Florida Marlins have been dismantling their team piece by piece for years, selling or trading veterans who were about to command serious money just before the players were going to collect, but yesterday's blockbuster trade of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit puts an end to their wheeling and dealing. The Marlins literally have no veterans left to trade. With the exception of Hanley Ramirez, they have no bonafide stars remaining on their roster and Ramirez is years away from a big payday. There are a lot of middling veterans in baseball making more money per annum than the entire Marlins' roster. Bug Selig and his brethren could care less. Perhaps their silence is a conspiracy to allow the Marlins to hit rock bottom before moving the franchise, probably to Las Vegas.The Marlins are the strangest franchise in baseball. They've won two World Series in their brief history yet no one goes to see them. They had the worst attendance in MLB last year and are always at or near the bottom. If ever a locale cried out for a domed stadium it is hot, humid and rainy Miami, but the Marlins continue to play in an outdoor football stadium and cannot convince the 18 voters in greater Miami who do come see them in person to persuade several hundred thousand others to fund a new pleasure palace.
Pity the poor Marlin players who perform in front of tens of thousands of empty seats every night. Their best hope is that the Marlins' ownership will either sell the franchise or move it.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
How To Proceed?
Apart from the usual pig-in-a-poke signings of fringe players, the Phillies haven't done much since the Brad Lidge deal. If rumors are to be believed they have a few irons in the fire, but no names loom on the horizon that seem likely to make a big impact. Randy Wolf has apparently signed with San Diego, underscoring his preference for the West Coast and a pitcher-friendly ballpark, and Kyle Lohse, a career win-a-start/lose-a-start hurler, won't appreciably change the Phillies' fortunes. Neither will the planned platoons in right field and third base.
For numerous reasons, marquee free agents rarely appear on local radar. Pitchers shudder in horror at the prospect of toiling in Citizens Bank Park. Position players seem more interested in playing for perennial contenders than perennial wannabes. Despite their first albeit brief appearance in the post-season in fourteen years, the Phils are still viewed by some as long-shots to make it to the post-season owing to a lack of quality pitching. Lest we forget, only a collapse of legendary proportions got them to the first round of the playoffs this past October.
Management here is also something of an obstacle to filling the team's most pressing needs. Many commentators are quick to point out, with some justification, that the cumbersome number of partners who own the Phillies make for messy decision-making. Despite appearances that Dave Montgomery is the man with day-to-day authority, it cannot help that the purse strings run through several pockets. Even recent revelations that some of those pockets are truly deep does not change the picture. For whatever reasons, the Phillies' current ownership group is not willing to break the bank to bring home a winner. Perhaps the shrewd businessmen among them still believe in making a profit, but the reality is that the greatest profit today comes when a franchise is sold rather than from year-to-year revenues from television deals, licensing agreements and gate receipts. How better to increase the profit than to put a winning team on the field!
Still, the Phillies don't seem likely to reach that goal by acquisitions. A quick look at their roster and the stars within suggests the best route to the Promised Land for this franchise remains through the draft and scouting. Rollins, Hamels, Utley, Howard and Ruiz are all products of the Phillies farm system, much-maligned as it is. Maybe the best route to success is to save those tens of millions of dollars required to sign an Aaron Rowand and spend them on scouts and player development. Beating the bushes internationally is becoming increasingly important and by all appearances the Phillies have, in anything, cut back in their efforts abroad if not home. If they ever hope to get to the next level, they'd better start now by finding the future stars of the club in the high schools and colleges throughout the land and on the playing fields of Taiwan, Caracas, and everywhere in between.
For numerous reasons, marquee free agents rarely appear on local radar. Pitchers shudder in horror at the prospect of toiling in Citizens Bank Park. Position players seem more interested in playing for perennial contenders than perennial wannabes. Despite their first albeit brief appearance in the post-season in fourteen years, the Phils are still viewed by some as long-shots to make it to the post-season owing to a lack of quality pitching. Lest we forget, only a collapse of legendary proportions got them to the first round of the playoffs this past October.
Management here is also something of an obstacle to filling the team's most pressing needs. Many commentators are quick to point out, with some justification, that the cumbersome number of partners who own the Phillies make for messy decision-making. Despite appearances that Dave Montgomery is the man with day-to-day authority, it cannot help that the purse strings run through several pockets. Even recent revelations that some of those pockets are truly deep does not change the picture. For whatever reasons, the Phillies' current ownership group is not willing to break the bank to bring home a winner. Perhaps the shrewd businessmen among them still believe in making a profit, but the reality is that the greatest profit today comes when a franchise is sold rather than from year-to-year revenues from television deals, licensing agreements and gate receipts. How better to increase the profit than to put a winning team on the field!
Still, the Phillies don't seem likely to reach that goal by acquisitions. A quick look at their roster and the stars within suggests the best route to the Promised Land for this franchise remains through the draft and scouting. Rollins, Hamels, Utley, Howard and Ruiz are all products of the Phillies farm system, much-maligned as it is. Maybe the best route to success is to save those tens of millions of dollars required to sign an Aaron Rowand and spend them on scouts and player development. Beating the bushes internationally is becoming increasingly important and by all appearances the Phillies have, in anything, cut back in their efforts abroad if not home. If they ever hope to get to the next level, they'd better start now by finding the future stars of the club in the high schools and colleges throughout the land and on the playing fields of Taiwan, Caracas, and everywhere in between.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Rumors And Other Tid Bits
A few ex-Phillies have been in the news lately.
Johnny Estrada was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers to the New York Mets yesterday. The move means Estrada will be playing for his fifth team since beginning his big league career in Philadelphia in 2001. It says something about him that he has moved so often but I cannot say exactly what! Suffice it to say quality catchers do not move around much as a rule so something that doesn't meet the eye is at work here. Oh, and by the way, he will be eligible for arbitration after next year and can become a free agent. He has a long way to go to catch the peripatetic Kenny Lofton, but he's also a lot younger.
Meanwhile, rumors have the Phillies showing interest in Randy Wolf, who is recovering from "minor" shoulder surgery after recovering from major Tommy John surgery a year and a half earlier. That's one too many surgeries in my humble opinion. Frankly, Wolf would better suit the Phils as a fifth outfielder. The guy can hit. Regrettably, he cannot pitch all that well any longer and as a flyball pitcher is ill-suited to Citizens Bank Park. Even if they get him for a song, the Phils would be better off spending the money elsewhere.
Finally, rumors, however unsubstantiated, that the Phils might be interested in reacquiring Scott Rolen are absolutely ludicrous. In the first place, this guy loathed playing here. In the second place, he is a shadow of his former self. And in the final analysis, he loathed playing here.
* * * * * * * * * *
One final word on Jimmy Rollins for now. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the full interview with him on MLB's site (among others) after he won the MVP, get a nice cup of coffee and plant yourself in front of your computer for the 25 minutes more or less that the interview runs. There have always been a lot of reasons to like Jimmy the person, but this interview, the lengthiest I've ever heard with him, underscores how generous of spirit and how supportive of his teammates Rollins is. He is the complete package: admirable human being and wonderfully talented professional athlete.
Johnny Estrada was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers to the New York Mets yesterday. The move means Estrada will be playing for his fifth team since beginning his big league career in Philadelphia in 2001. It says something about him that he has moved so often but I cannot say exactly what! Suffice it to say quality catchers do not move around much as a rule so something that doesn't meet the eye is at work here. Oh, and by the way, he will be eligible for arbitration after next year and can become a free agent. He has a long way to go to catch the peripatetic Kenny Lofton, but he's also a lot younger.
Meanwhile, rumors have the Phillies showing interest in Randy Wolf, who is recovering from "minor" shoulder surgery after recovering from major Tommy John surgery a year and a half earlier. That's one too many surgeries in my humble opinion. Frankly, Wolf would better suit the Phils as a fifth outfielder. The guy can hit. Regrettably, he cannot pitch all that well any longer and as a flyball pitcher is ill-suited to Citizens Bank Park. Even if they get him for a song, the Phils would be better off spending the money elsewhere.
Finally, rumors, however unsubstantiated, that the Phils might be interested in reacquiring Scott Rolen are absolutely ludicrous. In the first place, this guy loathed playing here. In the second place, he is a shadow of his former self. And in the final analysis, he loathed playing here.
* * * * * * * * * *
One final word on Jimmy Rollins for now. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the full interview with him on MLB's site (among others) after he won the MVP, get a nice cup of coffee and plant yourself in front of your computer for the 25 minutes more or less that the interview runs. There have always been a lot of reasons to like Jimmy the person, but this interview, the lengthiest I've ever heard with him, underscores how generous of spirit and how supportive of his teammates Rollins is. He is the complete package: admirable human being and wonderfully talented professional athlete.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
J-Roll Is Second Consecutive Phillie to Win MVP
Jimmy Rollins was named the National League's MVP for his memorable 2007 season. His win marks the second straight year a member of the Phillies infield has been named the league's MVP and sets up the unprecedented and very real opportunity for a third member of that infield, Chase Utley, to win next season.
Congratulations to a great player who loves the game.
For the MostValuablePost on the subject, check out Erik Grissom's Philliesflow. Grissom's take should be required reading in the blogosphere and mainstream media, especially in Colorado.
Congratulations to a great player who loves the game.
For the MostValuablePost on the subject, check out Erik Grissom's Philliesflow. Grissom's take should be required reading in the blogosphere and mainstream media, especially in Colorado.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Miscellany
Jim Salisbury wrote a very fine piece on Jimmy Rollins over the weekend in which he elaborates how hard the shortstop worked from an early age to get where he is today, namely, one of the premier players in the game. The piece also fills in details on how Rollins' multiple champions and boosters, his father, coaches and Jim Poole, the first Phillies' scout to watch him play, helped further his career. There is even a great picture of the diminutive Rollins, high above the crowd, celebrating a winning home run for his high school team. Naturally, he's smiling ear-to-ear. My only quibble with the piece is the quote at the end in which Poole says " "I hope he wins the MVP. When it comes to Jimmy Rollins, I'm his biggest fan."
Poole is going to have to get in line regarding that claim, and when Jimmy is named the MVP tomorrow afternoon, the line will get even longer.
* * * * * * * *
The indictment of Barry Bonds for perjury and obstruction of justice has brought out the expected number of opinions pro and con. Most commentators who oppose the indictment question why Bonds is being singled out when there are plenty of other abusers, some admitted ones. Other skeptics wonder why the Federal Government took so many years to bring the indictments if they had solid evidence all along.
Among the more amusing caution flags was one waved by the Inquirer's David Aldridge who wondered, "And what happened to our post-Duke reflexive gene, where we weren't going to convict people in the media anymore just because they've been indicted? Does Bonds not deserve his day in court to face his accusers?"
Actually, if nothing else, Mr. Aldridge, Bonds was indicted because he had a day in court and the Federal Prosecutors and a Grand Jury didn't believe his testimony.
* * * * * * * *
If Alex Rodriguez re-signs with the Yankees, some of the credit will be given to the Sage from Omaha, aka Warren Buffet. It turns out that Buffet, the billionaire investor and friend of Bill (Gates, that is) is also chummy with the MVP third baseman. Apparently, he urged Rodriguez to get in touch with his true feelings -- that he loves being a Yankee -- and negotiate directly with Steinbrenner fils and Cashman without the intervention of his agent, Scott Boras. If you believe Boras had nothing to do with this whole thing, I have a bridge for you from another borough of New York.
Poole is going to have to get in line regarding that claim, and when Jimmy is named the MVP tomorrow afternoon, the line will get even longer.
* * * * * * * *
The indictment of Barry Bonds for perjury and obstruction of justice has brought out the expected number of opinions pro and con. Most commentators who oppose the indictment question why Bonds is being singled out when there are plenty of other abusers, some admitted ones. Other skeptics wonder why the Federal Government took so many years to bring the indictments if they had solid evidence all along.
Among the more amusing caution flags was one waved by the Inquirer's David Aldridge who wondered, "And what happened to our post-Duke reflexive gene, where we weren't going to convict people in the media anymore just because they've been indicted? Does Bonds not deserve his day in court to face his accusers?"
Actually, if nothing else, Mr. Aldridge, Bonds was indicted because he had a day in court and the Federal Prosecutors and a Grand Jury didn't believe his testimony.
* * * * * * * *
If Alex Rodriguez re-signs with the Yankees, some of the credit will be given to the Sage from Omaha, aka Warren Buffet. It turns out that Buffet, the billionaire investor and friend of Bill (Gates, that is) is also chummy with the MVP third baseman. Apparently, he urged Rodriguez to get in touch with his true feelings -- that he loves being a Yankee -- and negotiate directly with Steinbrenner fils and Cashman without the intervention of his agent, Scott Boras. If you believe Boras had nothing to do with this whole thing, I have a bridge for you from another borough of New York.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Follow The Money
Listen to the Phillies alleged brain trust and one theme recurs: they consider themselves a mid-market team without sufficient financial resources to compete with Boston, both New York teams, Chicago and both Los Angeles teams.
The Inquirer's Bob Ford and the Daily News' Bill Conlin are merely the latest observers to weigh in on the matter of money and the spending thereof. Bloggers and their commenters are also all over this issue complaining bitterly that ownership's stinginess will doom the Phillies to another season that falls short. The Phillies front men on the subject, Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro have flatly said their is a limited budget for new acquisitions and the Phillies are not going to exceed it.
There's no reason to recapitulate the list of prior contract commitments, ongoing obligations and the projected demands of players and their agents as the annual free agent market opens for business. The feeling is that short of a few good trades, and reviews of the Lidge deal before he takes the mound at Citizens Bank Park are generally positive, the Phils are not going to acquire or re-sign the high-priced talent out there. Instead, they are floating names like Randy Wolf and Bartolo Colon, players who aren't going to address their urgent need for quality starting pitching. Meanwhile, Gillick and Amaro have also flatly stated the third base situation isn't targeted for any improvement in 2008 while the outfield has already lost two of the five guys who spent time playing there last season including Aaron Rowand, their most productive outfielder.
I keep reminding myself the Lidge deal, or the Billy Wagner and Freddy Garcia trades of the past, came out of nowhere. We all know what happened with Garcia, but Wagner was reasonably successful here when not hurt or unhappy. Before recent times, one has to reach back a long, long way to find a successful trade. You all know who I'm thinking of.
Is the problem of dollars a local one, attributable to a consortium of owners who cannot or will not seize control if not the purse strings and spend, spend, spend a la the Steinbrenner clan, Peter Angelos in Baltimore or ownership in Boston? Is this a question of television revenues apart from the shared ones dispersed by MLB to all the teams? Do the big market clubs with their own cable systems or deals in place with cable systems generate far more revenues that can be cashed in once the clock strikes midnight in early November? What can the Kansas Cities, Pittsburghs and, yes, Philadelphias, do to remain competitive? Some might argue the whole question is moot. Look at Colorado. They did it without a big payroll, so why can't everyone else. The truth is, teams like Colorado can do it without a big payroll through shrewd scouting, drafting and trades, but the sad truth is their window of opportunity is very brief, as they are about to find out, when all that low-priced talent like Matt Holliday has a big year and is immediately in line for an expense, long-term contract. Colorado, I'm sorry to say, is an aberration.
What baseball really needs is some sort of salary cap. Will a cap level the playing field? It's hard to say if it has done that in baseball and football. We do know that only a few teams in baseball can consider the astronomical demands of Alex Rodriguez and his agent (or is that the other way around). And you can count on one finger how many teams could pay a Japanese club tens of millions of dollars just for the negotiating rights to a pitcher. The draft and free agent compensation systems have not really yielded much parity. Yes, Colorado made it to the World Series and over the last several years Houston appeared in the Series for the first time, Chicago made it to late October for the first time in memory, and Arizona and Florida, two upstarts, won the whole thing. And little old small-market Oakland has been the darling of those who argue money isn't everything. But in the end, the teams that can afford to sign or keep high-priced talent are normally the ones that make it to the post-season year in and year out. The trend suggests the teams with more money to spend will continue to be likely participants in the post-season while the ones with little capital will continue to fall short.
The Inquirer's Bob Ford and the Daily News' Bill Conlin are merely the latest observers to weigh in on the matter of money and the spending thereof. Bloggers and their commenters are also all over this issue complaining bitterly that ownership's stinginess will doom the Phillies to another season that falls short. The Phillies front men on the subject, Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro have flatly said their is a limited budget for new acquisitions and the Phillies are not going to exceed it.
There's no reason to recapitulate the list of prior contract commitments, ongoing obligations and the projected demands of players and their agents as the annual free agent market opens for business. The feeling is that short of a few good trades, and reviews of the Lidge deal before he takes the mound at Citizens Bank Park are generally positive, the Phils are not going to acquire or re-sign the high-priced talent out there. Instead, they are floating names like Randy Wolf and Bartolo Colon, players who aren't going to address their urgent need for quality starting pitching. Meanwhile, Gillick and Amaro have also flatly stated the third base situation isn't targeted for any improvement in 2008 while the outfield has already lost two of the five guys who spent time playing there last season including Aaron Rowand, their most productive outfielder.
I keep reminding myself the Lidge deal, or the Billy Wagner and Freddy Garcia trades of the past, came out of nowhere. We all know what happened with Garcia, but Wagner was reasonably successful here when not hurt or unhappy. Before recent times, one has to reach back a long, long way to find a successful trade. You all know who I'm thinking of.
Is the problem of dollars a local one, attributable to a consortium of owners who cannot or will not seize control if not the purse strings and spend, spend, spend a la the Steinbrenner clan, Peter Angelos in Baltimore or ownership in Boston? Is this a question of television revenues apart from the shared ones dispersed by MLB to all the teams? Do the big market clubs with their own cable systems or deals in place with cable systems generate far more revenues that can be cashed in once the clock strikes midnight in early November? What can the Kansas Cities, Pittsburghs and, yes, Philadelphias, do to remain competitive? Some might argue the whole question is moot. Look at Colorado. They did it without a big payroll, so why can't everyone else. The truth is, teams like Colorado can do it without a big payroll through shrewd scouting, drafting and trades, but the sad truth is their window of opportunity is very brief, as they are about to find out, when all that low-priced talent like Matt Holliday has a big year and is immediately in line for an expense, long-term contract. Colorado, I'm sorry to say, is an aberration.
What baseball really needs is some sort of salary cap. Will a cap level the playing field? It's hard to say if it has done that in baseball and football. We do know that only a few teams in baseball can consider the astronomical demands of Alex Rodriguez and his agent (or is that the other way around). And you can count on one finger how many teams could pay a Japanese club tens of millions of dollars just for the negotiating rights to a pitcher. The draft and free agent compensation systems have not really yielded much parity. Yes, Colorado made it to the World Series and over the last several years Houston appeared in the Series for the first time, Chicago made it to late October for the first time in memory, and Arizona and Florida, two upstarts, won the whole thing. And little old small-market Oakland has been the darling of those who argue money isn't everything. But in the end, the teams that can afford to sign or keep high-priced talent are normally the ones that make it to the post-season year in and year out. The trend suggests the teams with more money to spend will continue to be likely participants in the post-season while the ones with little capital will continue to fall short.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Lidge
Pros: Great stuff. Reasonably young. Excited to be coming to Philadelphia. Michael Bourn was expendable, Geoff Geary was on the bubble and Mike Costanzo was never going to be an every-day big leaguer...if that.
Cons: Albert Pujols still plays but fortunately in another division. A fly ball pitcher in a fly ball park. Recovering from knee surgery. Free agent after this year. Michael Bourn might hit.
Conclusion: Any move that freed Brett Myers to return to the starting rotation has to be seen as an overall plus for a team desperate for pitching. Depending on how he fares at Citizens Bank Park, Lidge might be a one-year rental or the change of scenery might be just what the doctor ordered. Still, there is something about this trade that has Philadelphia Phillies written all over it. Rather than draft closers like Chad Cordero and Jonathan Papelbon, the Phillies are forever signing mid to late career closers with baggage, in this case an alleged fragile psyche and a knee that requires healing. The trade we'd like to see is the Phillies' scouting and development staff for, say, Colorado's, or, realistically, an infusion of more talent among the bush beaters.
Cons: Albert Pujols still plays but fortunately in another division. A fly ball pitcher in a fly ball park. Recovering from knee surgery. Free agent after this year. Michael Bourn might hit.
Conclusion: Any move that freed Brett Myers to return to the starting rotation has to be seen as an overall plus for a team desperate for pitching. Depending on how he fares at Citizens Bank Park, Lidge might be a one-year rental or the change of scenery might be just what the doctor ordered. Still, there is something about this trade that has Philadelphia Phillies written all over it. Rather than draft closers like Chad Cordero and Jonathan Papelbon, the Phillies are forever signing mid to late career closers with baggage, in this case an alleged fragile psyche and a knee that requires healing. The trade we'd like to see is the Phillies' scouting and development staff for, say, Colorado's, or, realistically, an infusion of more talent among the bush beaters.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Getting Better
With the hand-wringing and wailing over the Eagles into its second day, you might have missed the article below the fold in which GM Pat Gillick strongly hinted the Phillies may not do anything this off-season to improve themselves at third base. Asked to explain, Gillick replied: I don't know if it will be addressed. ...we're going to concentrate on improving our pitching.
That means Wes Helms and Greg Dobbs will man the hot corner because there certainly isn't anyone in the minors ready to step in. Mike Costanzo cannot even hit in the Arizona Fall League according to a report over at Beerleaguer. It is becoming increasingly doubtful the locally-connected Costanzo will ever help the big club.
That means we can already expect to see a scarlet C next to the Phillies' name when those inevitable pre-season report cards evaluating off-season moves are issued around February. Come to think of it, the Phillies have rarely landed a big free agent, the last one being Jim Thome, who cost them a bundle (and still does) and who in reality was only sought by two clubs at the time, his then-current one (Cleveland) and the Phils. More likely, the Phils will land the usual second and third tier free agents who love to come here such as Helms or Adam Eaton. In other words, the guys who receive no other offers.
If help, pitching or otherwise, is to be secured it will have to come via trade. The sticky part there is the Phils have precious little anyone else wants. The likely bait will either be Shane Victorino or Michael Bourn. Of the two, Victorino has proved he can hit at this level but he has yet to prove he can remain healthy. Bourn is unproven at the plate and certainly not Victorino's peer with the glove. He is slightly faster. His injury last season was a freak accident. The bet here is the Phils will feel compelled to part with Victorino, the better of the pair, if they want anything decent in return. If they are unable or unwilling to re-sign Aaron Rowand, they could begin next season with Pat Burrell in left, Bourn in center and Jayson Werth in right. Pardon me if I find that troika uninspiring. Coupled with the two-headed third base option, the Phillies will have lots of potential holes in their lineup. Gillick argues that with better pitching they won't need as many runs scored. If things play out they way they appear to be headed, he'd damn sure better get that better pitching.
That means Wes Helms and Greg Dobbs will man the hot corner because there certainly isn't anyone in the minors ready to step in. Mike Costanzo cannot even hit in the Arizona Fall League according to a report over at Beerleaguer. It is becoming increasingly doubtful the locally-connected Costanzo will ever help the big club.
That means we can already expect to see a scarlet C next to the Phillies' name when those inevitable pre-season report cards evaluating off-season moves are issued around February. Come to think of it, the Phillies have rarely landed a big free agent, the last one being Jim Thome, who cost them a bundle (and still does) and who in reality was only sought by two clubs at the time, his then-current one (Cleveland) and the Phils. More likely, the Phils will land the usual second and third tier free agents who love to come here such as Helms or Adam Eaton. In other words, the guys who receive no other offers.
If help, pitching or otherwise, is to be secured it will have to come via trade. The sticky part there is the Phils have precious little anyone else wants. The likely bait will either be Shane Victorino or Michael Bourn. Of the two, Victorino has proved he can hit at this level but he has yet to prove he can remain healthy. Bourn is unproven at the plate and certainly not Victorino's peer with the glove. He is slightly faster. His injury last season was a freak accident. The bet here is the Phils will feel compelled to part with Victorino, the better of the pair, if they want anything decent in return. If they are unable or unwilling to re-sign Aaron Rowand, they could begin next season with Pat Burrell in left, Bourn in center and Jayson Werth in right. Pardon me if I find that troika uninspiring. Coupled with the two-headed third base option, the Phillies will have lots of potential holes in their lineup. Gillick argues that with better pitching they won't need as many runs scored. If things play out they way they appear to be headed, he'd damn sure better get that better pitching.
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