The federal government was able to pin one charge against Barry Bonds and that was obstruction of justice. They were unable to get a jury to convict Bonds of lying to a grand jury. Was that a victory for the feds? Was that a victory for Bonds? The answer is hardly on both counts. Bonds, unless he appeals, is now a convicted felon. The government might decide to retry Bonds on the hung charges. If they do so, it will be a further waste of federal resources. The verdict came down within a week of the news that Manny Ramirez tested positive again and retired rather than take the one hundred day suspension. Since then, dozens of writers have marked their lines in the sand on issues such as the Hall of Fame and these two players' legacy. As someone who has loved the game for almost fifty years, this writer must too draw that line.
The evidence of the use of performance enhancing drugs is overwhelming. For anyone in this day and age to believe otherwise is misguided. Equally misguided is anyone who believes that the players we think we know about were the only ones who used the substances during their careers. If you decide to take the slippery slope of listening to Jose Canseco, usage was rampant and those we think we know about are just the tip of the iceberg of who used during their careers. The safest thing to say is that we'll never really know the full extent of who used and who didn't. Even if someone leaked all the names on that famous list of those who had tested positive in 2003, we still wouldn't know because those were only the ones that got caught by the test.
Another safe statement is that usage was widespread around baseball by both those who hit the baseball and those who pitched. But what we end up here are a handful of scapegoats, who also happened to be among the top performers in the game. These whipping boys for the sins of many cause all the prose that is thrown out over the Internet and in news copy day after day. Count Bonds and Manny Ramirez at the head of the class in this category.
The argument that these guys were "cheaters" is a strong one. No one can deny that those who used PEDs were at the very least, circumventing the rules. That's a nice way of saying they cheated. The argument that there was no testing is a weak one. Yes, it casts the net of blame wider to include owners, the union and the players. But it still doesn't negate the argument of cheating.
But there is another argument that is worth considering. And that is that if more than half of the players were using, how come all of those players didn't shatter home run records or win 300 games or hit 600 homers? For every successful user such as Jason Giambi, there was an unsuccessful one such as Jeremy Giambi. It didn't make everyone great. It may, at most have made the great...well...greater.
Athletes have always done whatever they could to get an edge. Does anyone think that PEDs were the only transgression in the long line of history? If you believe that, then you believe that the White Sox of 1919 were the only ballplayers that ever took money to affect the outcome of a game. Do people really believe those White Sox acted in a vacuum. If you do, then perhaps you should read this interesting article. We'll never know, but a lot of early baseball was probably mishandled with gamblers' money.
But just like in 1921, baseball found itself with a problem and fixed it. Same as today. Other writers have made a case for "greenies" or other medication that helped ballplayers stay "sharp" before the PED era. There is evidence that one of the most famous homers ever hit may have been aided by a team accomplice in centerfield flashing the signs. Gaylord Perry is in the Hall of Fame though he has admitted cheating. Did Joe Neikro learn to scuff baseballs in a vacuum? Was he that much of a genius? How do we know his Hall of Fame brother didn't do the same thing?
Nolan Ryan pitched for a long, long time. And he was effective a long, long time. Do we know he never cheated? Do we know with certainty that all of the recent inductees into the Hall of Fame never cheated? What we have here is a generation of players that got caught.
There are two issues that are the most problematic that Bonds and Manny cause us to focus on. The first is the record book and the second is the Hall of Fame. Both suffer from rose-colored glasses and the fallacy that baseball remains the same over time. Let's take each of these issues separately.
First, the record book. There is no doubt that until this point, the numbers in that record book have been held in awe. And now for the first time, we are faced with a challenge to those hallowed numbers. But even that is not a true statement. At the time Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth's home run record, the talk of an asterisk was very prevalent due to the fact that Roger performed his feat in 162 games instead of Babe's 154.
The Maris-Ruth controversy only shows the lack of honesty there is in comparing play from one era to the next. When Maris played, the league expanded and there were many more pitchers in the game who wouldn't have been with less teams. Ruth played when African Americans were banned from baseball. Performance enhancing drugs are just one factor in the numbers being put up today. There are more teams than ever before providing more mediocre pitching (and hitting if you look at it conversely). Plus, the baseball isn't the same from era to era. Oh, the commissioner might tell you otherwise. But we know it was different prior to 1920. We call that the "Dead Ball" era. How can you have a defined era and say confidently that the ball hasn't changed periodically since?
So the record book that we all cherish and love is a fallacy and always has been. How can Babe Ruth be vaulted higher than Home Run Baker when they didn't play the same game? Sure, the record book does give us some hints on who the best players are over time. But to think that it was ever fool proof is nonsense. Boog Powell just might have been a better player than Jason Giambi. So as much as it pains this writer's sensibilities. it may be a good thing for the record book to become less holy.
The problem with the second issue (the Hall of Fame) is similar to the first. We have that ridiculous clause in the voting rules that talks about the integrity of the game. The clause assumes that none of the Hall of Fame players that played before 1919 ever took a bribe. It assumes that racism is treated differently than other evils. It assumes that players such as Ruth were bastions of goodness. It's all a bunch of hooey. Did Bob Feller report all his income on those barnstorming tours with black teams? We don't know. Is Pete Rose the only player that ever bet on baseball? We don't know. Was Gaylord Perry the only pitcher who doctored the baseball?
The only thing the Hall of Fame should do is include players who were the best players at the time in history for which they played. Period. That means that Pete Rose is in the Hall of Fame and Shoeless Joe, and yes, it means that Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens and Rafael Palmiero and anyone else are Hall of Fame players. Period. And if the present Hall of Fame can't do that, then there should be a movement to create a new institution that does. The alternative is leaving out some of the greatest players of the game and having their places taken with lesser talents. Then you have a meaningless institution.
Contrast baseball's hallowed Hall of Fame with the NFL. O. J. Simpson is in the NFL Hall of Fame. Jim Brown hasn't stayed always on the right side of morality issues. He's in there. Lawrence Taylor is in there. He's a registered sex offender. How many football Hall of Fame players are there that took steroids? It's not about morality. It's about who the best players were in their era.
Does this Fan think that MLB should ban steroids? Well, yes. What about blood replacement methods? Geez, who knows. The game should always strive to create as fair an environment as possible. But all that said, it's never been completely possible and there are too many gray areas to make it black and white. Bonds apparently became envious of lesser talents getting so much media attention. His ego drove him to his supposed choices. Manny Ramirez is a player in a long line of players from the Dominican Republic who took any edge to get out of that poverty situation and were helped in many ways by unscrupulous scouts that made those choices easier. Growing up in that culture leads to way of life and a confusing sense of right and wrong. But Manny Ramirez was one of the best players of his era. End of story. Bonds was the best player of his era. End of story.
Bury the record book as a measure for all time greatness. And bury the silliness of baseball writers deciding the morality lines in America. Those cats are long out of the bag. They may never have been in the bag in the first place.
Showing posts with label Manny Ramirez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manny Ramirez. Show all posts
Friday, April 15, 2011
Saturday, April 09, 2011
Losing Manny is Our Loss
For those of us that thought the Bay Rays' signing of Manny Ramirez was brilliant, we're looking pretty stupid today, no? The announcement was shocking and stark and for many, it was a day of victory. There will be no moralizing here. There are enough writers who probably cheat on their taxes that will salivate over this story and lace their articles with sarcasm concerning the slugger's "slinking" from the game. No, there are no judgments here. For one, what will Manny care with what one more writer says? He's got eighteen seasons in of doing what he loved to do. He has two World Series rings, twenty-nine post season homers and he made well over $200 million for his career. What will he care? So go ahead, moralist writers. Knock yourselves out. Have fun. You've been waiting for this moment. For those of us who love to follow baseball and to watch it, this day is a huge loss.
Why? Because for better or worse--and we usually got equal doses of both--Manny Ramirez was the most entertaining player of our era. He was a lightning bolt of either hate or love, antipathy or adoration. His swing was the most vicious we've ever witnessed. His smarts as a batter unquestioned. And this Fan doesn't care what he put into his body. There is nothing he could ingest that would make him that talented. Yeah, it could make him stronger and it could make him recover from ailments, but it couldn't help him hit a hurtling fastball or a wicked curve. There was art to his at bats and those are now gone forever.
He was our baseball clown. His adventures in the outfield only compounded the thrill of any game in which he participated. His dreads were an added dimension unlike any other player in the game. For most of his career, you didn't want to be gone to the bathroom, concession stand or kitchen when Manny was coming to the plate. His were the most anticipated at bats of the day. His presence in the Red Sox line up made David Ortiz Big Papi. Both now are clouded with the same PED questions. But while it lasted, those two sluggers back to back made all those Yankee-Red Sox match ups more fun than at any time in the rivalry's history. He brought the Indians to the World Series twice. Where have those Indians been since?
He was a unique talent and a magician with the bat we won't soon see again. He has Hall of Fame numbers, but will never see the inside of the Hall. No, the writers who have the votes in this day and age are too busy being our Puritans. Their white-washed sepulchers will continue to hide their inner selves. Manny Ramirez was no saint and he will never be pictured in this space as such. He was a man-child prone to tantrums and emotional roller-coasters. He never stayed happy for long and his play suffered when he wanted more money. Those facts are all well documented.
But this Fan never worshiped Manny Ramirez. It was simply a blast to see what the heck he would do on any given day. There are no judgments here. There is only a bit of grief that the story is over. The most entertaining player of our era is gone. We are the ones who lose here. But it sure was fun while it lasted.
Why? Because for better or worse--and we usually got equal doses of both--Manny Ramirez was the most entertaining player of our era. He was a lightning bolt of either hate or love, antipathy or adoration. His swing was the most vicious we've ever witnessed. His smarts as a batter unquestioned. And this Fan doesn't care what he put into his body. There is nothing he could ingest that would make him that talented. Yeah, it could make him stronger and it could make him recover from ailments, but it couldn't help him hit a hurtling fastball or a wicked curve. There was art to his at bats and those are now gone forever.
He was our baseball clown. His adventures in the outfield only compounded the thrill of any game in which he participated. His dreads were an added dimension unlike any other player in the game. For most of his career, you didn't want to be gone to the bathroom, concession stand or kitchen when Manny was coming to the plate. His were the most anticipated at bats of the day. His presence in the Red Sox line up made David Ortiz Big Papi. Both now are clouded with the same PED questions. But while it lasted, those two sluggers back to back made all those Yankee-Red Sox match ups more fun than at any time in the rivalry's history. He brought the Indians to the World Series twice. Where have those Indians been since?
He was a unique talent and a magician with the bat we won't soon see again. He has Hall of Fame numbers, but will never see the inside of the Hall. No, the writers who have the votes in this day and age are too busy being our Puritans. Their white-washed sepulchers will continue to hide their inner selves. Manny Ramirez was no saint and he will never be pictured in this space as such. He was a man-child prone to tantrums and emotional roller-coasters. He never stayed happy for long and his play suffered when he wanted more money. Those facts are all well documented.
But this Fan never worshiped Manny Ramirez. It was simply a blast to see what the heck he would do on any given day. There are no judgments here. There is only a bit of grief that the story is over. The most entertaining player of our era is gone. We are the ones who lose here. But it sure was fun while it lasted.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Why I Can't Help Loving Manny Ramirez
I've tried. I really have. I've tried to hate Manny Ramirez. I've tried to disavow my feelings for him. But I just can't. Every time I've tried to put him away as a joke, a freak, a quitter, a child or a cheater, he keeps popping back up onto my mouth as a smile. The funny thing is, the smile on my lips is the same smile that you so often see on Manny. It's like we are all in on the same big joke. And maybe we are. Manny Ramirez is like our Peter Pan. He probably leads us places we ought not to go, but we are always glad we made the trip.
Last year was a difficult year to love Manny because Manny wasn't Manny. He was quiet and so was his bat. There was no drive in his swings. There were no results. There was no drama. There were whispers that he was done. His bat was slow. He probably quit again on the Dodgers just like he had with the Red Sox. He was supposed to save the White Sox who had paid for letting Jim Thome go. But he was just a singles hitter for the White Sox. He failed in big situations. The White Sox sunk out of the race. So this is the end of Manny Ramirez?
Then the off season was upon us and everybody was signing except for Manny and Vlad. Vlad probably wants two years and too much money. That's probably kept him off the merry-go-round. But Manny wasn't signed because there was doubt he had anything left AND because he's always had...umm...issues. But there were other stories. There was one that he was hurt much of last year and an off season rehab has him in great shape. He showed up in Tampa minus 12 pounds and looking great. Could Manny have something left to offer? Can the Manny circus ride into town again with the elephants trumpeting and the tall men on stilts juggling their way through the town commons? Just the possibility is enough to wet the whistle of the man crush again.
And how fitting is it that he signed in tandem with Johnny Damon in Tampa? The two are so incredibly linked to the Red Sox of 2004...the Red Sox that finally beat the curse and allowed old men in Boston to die happy. Anyone who thinks that 2004 team would have won without Manny or without Johnny is crazy. With Manny, it was all about fear. The pitchers were just plain scared to face him. He remains one of the smartest hitters on earth. You don't think the pitchers know that? There is no way David Ortiz becomes Big Papi without Ramirez. And Damon just finds a way to beat you. He did it with the Red Sox in 2004 and the Yankees in 2009. And now they are together again. And what a show they put on in the press conference yesterday! Yes, the circus has arrived in Tampa.
And you know what? This could actually be a world class triumph of front office genius on the part of the Bay Rays. Both Manny and Johnny could have that one last good year to cap their careers. With Manny only DHing and Damon having some versitility, the Bay Rays could get lots of production from both players, more production by far than what the Bay Rays are paying for the two champions. And that will be a switch with Manny.
Why a switch? Well, one of the biggest secrets in baseball is that Manny has only twice out performed his contract since 2001. Sure, he had some big years, but with his defense (or lack therein), he made lots of money and he only twice earned it. Once was nearly on the nose (2002) and the other was 2008 when he blew his salary away. Every other year, he's performed under his salary level. It is an ironic switch that he is now probably vastly underpaid for what the Rays will get out of him. Manny chose the Bay Rays despite his saying that others were offering more (kind of doubting that). So now one of the greatest right-handed hitters of this generation is playing for less than Edgar Renteria and Jeff Francoeur. Maybe that is a bit of poetic justice. At least some will view it that way.
But what we love about Manny is the unexpected. He is the most enigmatic player of our times. He is just as apt to smile child-like as he is to turn churlish. We all think he's just one big kid playing in his own sandbox. His mere presence in the majors gives more entertainment value than just about anyone else. And perhaps I am just naive, but I don't believe that his hitting over the years has been PED aided. He's just an amazing talent, an amazing talent that has always beaten to a different drummer.
I've tried. I really have. But I just can't. I just love the guy. I hope he hits 40 homers and drives in 100 runs. I can't help myself.
Last year was a difficult year to love Manny because Manny wasn't Manny. He was quiet and so was his bat. There was no drive in his swings. There were no results. There was no drama. There were whispers that he was done. His bat was slow. He probably quit again on the Dodgers just like he had with the Red Sox. He was supposed to save the White Sox who had paid for letting Jim Thome go. But he was just a singles hitter for the White Sox. He failed in big situations. The White Sox sunk out of the race. So this is the end of Manny Ramirez?
Then the off season was upon us and everybody was signing except for Manny and Vlad. Vlad probably wants two years and too much money. That's probably kept him off the merry-go-round. But Manny wasn't signed because there was doubt he had anything left AND because he's always had...umm...issues. But there were other stories. There was one that he was hurt much of last year and an off season rehab has him in great shape. He showed up in Tampa minus 12 pounds and looking great. Could Manny have something left to offer? Can the Manny circus ride into town again with the elephants trumpeting and the tall men on stilts juggling their way through the town commons? Just the possibility is enough to wet the whistle of the man crush again.
And how fitting is it that he signed in tandem with Johnny Damon in Tampa? The two are so incredibly linked to the Red Sox of 2004...the Red Sox that finally beat the curse and allowed old men in Boston to die happy. Anyone who thinks that 2004 team would have won without Manny or without Johnny is crazy. With Manny, it was all about fear. The pitchers were just plain scared to face him. He remains one of the smartest hitters on earth. You don't think the pitchers know that? There is no way David Ortiz becomes Big Papi without Ramirez. And Damon just finds a way to beat you. He did it with the Red Sox in 2004 and the Yankees in 2009. And now they are together again. And what a show they put on in the press conference yesterday! Yes, the circus has arrived in Tampa.
And you know what? This could actually be a world class triumph of front office genius on the part of the Bay Rays. Both Manny and Johnny could have that one last good year to cap their careers. With Manny only DHing and Damon having some versitility, the Bay Rays could get lots of production from both players, more production by far than what the Bay Rays are paying for the two champions. And that will be a switch with Manny.
Why a switch? Well, one of the biggest secrets in baseball is that Manny has only twice out performed his contract since 2001. Sure, he had some big years, but with his defense (or lack therein), he made lots of money and he only twice earned it. Once was nearly on the nose (2002) and the other was 2008 when he blew his salary away. Every other year, he's performed under his salary level. It is an ironic switch that he is now probably vastly underpaid for what the Rays will get out of him. Manny chose the Bay Rays despite his saying that others were offering more (kind of doubting that). So now one of the greatest right-handed hitters of this generation is playing for less than Edgar Renteria and Jeff Francoeur. Maybe that is a bit of poetic justice. At least some will view it that way.
But what we love about Manny is the unexpected. He is the most enigmatic player of our times. He is just as apt to smile child-like as he is to turn churlish. We all think he's just one big kid playing in his own sandbox. His mere presence in the majors gives more entertainment value than just about anyone else. And perhaps I am just naive, but I don't believe that his hitting over the years has been PED aided. He's just an amazing talent, an amazing talent that has always beaten to a different drummer.
I've tried. I really have. But I just can't. I just love the guy. I hope he hits 40 homers and drives in 100 runs. I can't help myself.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Market Thinning for Manny, Vlad and Damon
Now that Jim Thome has signed with the Twins, the market is getting extremely tight for guys like Vladimir Guerrero, Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon and Russell Branyon. Unless the Rangers trade Michael Young (which seems unlikely), their DH position is taken. That leaves us with Tampa, perhaps Toronto and perhaps the Angels. How will this all shake out?
The Angels won't go back to Vlad. That would be an admission that they shouldn't have given up on him in the first place. They won't do that. They are already a somewhat old team and Vlad slows them down even more. Johnny Damon seems to make the most sense as he can switch off with Bobby Abreu at DH and left field and both stay fresh. They are both terrible left fielders anyway, so either one won't matter.
It seems ungainly for Manny to go to Toronto. Not that Toronto isn't a great place. It's just so far north for Manny. The Fan can see the Blue Jays adding someone like Branyon who will be cheaper. The Fan had to laugh at "TaoofStieb" one of Toronto's best bloggers. His tweet was a take off of how many players have been talked about as possibly going to Toronto. Tao has a new "meme" with such a statement where you simply fill in the blanks. Hilarious.
Manny's best fit seems to be the Bay Rays. Florida seems to be the only glamor state he hasn't played in yet. The team seems loose enough to take him on and they have a very smart manager there that can make the best use of him. If the Bay Rays don't sign Manny, they could opt for Vlad as he still has pop.
Either way, it seems that somebody isn't going to get signed. Teams have shown a hesitancy to go with lumbering DHs these days and are looking for the position to be more flexible. Vlad and Manny are pretty much one dimensional these days. Branyon can play first reasonably well, but who needs a first baseman? Branyon could head back to Seattle for Round Three. Though it would be cool, just for interest sake to see Branyon play for yet a different team so he can keep his streak of hitting homers for every team he's played for, no matter how short that has happened to be.
The Yankees need a right handed bat, but Manny seems like a stretch. They will probably opt for someone like Andruw Jones. But the market is tight and if some of these guys want to play in 2011, they better start scrambling.
The Angels won't go back to Vlad. That would be an admission that they shouldn't have given up on him in the first place. They won't do that. They are already a somewhat old team and Vlad slows them down even more. Johnny Damon seems to make the most sense as he can switch off with Bobby Abreu at DH and left field and both stay fresh. They are both terrible left fielders anyway, so either one won't matter.
It seems ungainly for Manny to go to Toronto. Not that Toronto isn't a great place. It's just so far north for Manny. The Fan can see the Blue Jays adding someone like Branyon who will be cheaper. The Fan had to laugh at "TaoofStieb" one of Toronto's best bloggers. His tweet was a take off of how many players have been talked about as possibly going to Toronto. Tao has a new "meme" with such a statement where you simply fill in the blanks. Hilarious.
Manny's best fit seems to be the Bay Rays. Florida seems to be the only glamor state he hasn't played in yet. The team seems loose enough to take him on and they have a very smart manager there that can make the best use of him. If the Bay Rays don't sign Manny, they could opt for Vlad as he still has pop.
Either way, it seems that somebody isn't going to get signed. Teams have shown a hesitancy to go with lumbering DHs these days and are looking for the position to be more flexible. Vlad and Manny are pretty much one dimensional these days. Branyon can play first reasonably well, but who needs a first baseman? Branyon could head back to Seattle for Round Three. Though it would be cool, just for interest sake to see Branyon play for yet a different team so he can keep his streak of hitting homers for every team he's played for, no matter how short that has happened to be.
The Yankees need a right handed bat, but Manny seems like a stretch. They will probably opt for someone like Andruw Jones. But the market is tight and if some of these guys want to play in 2011, they better start scrambling.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Comebacks to Root For
Every baseball season is a clean slate full of unwritten stories waiting to unfold. We've all been fascinated by the off season market as teams jostle for position to compete in the unwritten season. Some teams have made moves that already have pundits placing them in the 2011 World Series. But even with all kinds of new talent in place, a lot has to go right for these few blessed teams. One small story among all the other off season stories caught the Fan's interest. The story stated that the Yankees signed Mark Prior to a minor league contract. As soon as the eyes read the name, an emotion was palpable: "Golly, I hope he can make it back to the majors." That sentiment led to thought on others that are out there we could root for to make it all the way back to the majors. Here are a few the Fan could come up with:
Mark Prior - The name alone speaks of unfinished work. He was like Stephen Crane, who died at the age of 26 and a genius was lost. Mark Prior was a pitching genius. Through his one big season and the sputtering of other partial seasons, Prior still ended up with a lifetime mark of over ten strikeouts per nine innings as a starter. By the time he last pitched in the majors (2006), he went 1-6 and still finished with a lifetime mark of 42-29. Prior pitched an inning in Triple A in 2010, the first inning of any kind in organized professional baseball in four years. It was a scoreless inning and he struck out two batters. Is the talent still there? Can he ever make it all the way back? The Yankees must think so because they signed him to a minor league deal. He's only 30 years old. Wouldn't that be awesome?
Brandon Webb - In the four years between 2005 and 2008, Brandon Webb won 70 games and lost only 37. During that span, he won a Cy Young Award and came in second twice. 2008 ended a five year run of never missing a start. He led the league in starts in two of those years, innings pitched once, batters faced once. He had a two year run where he was over 150 in ERA+ and in 2008, it was 141. And just as suddenly as could be, it was over. He pitched six innings in 2009 and none in 2010. Now he's ready to return and news outlets are reporting that he is near to picking a team to play for. Several are interested. Let's hope he can find the right home and resume was was turning out to be a beautiful career.
Jake Peavy - Last the Fan heard, Peavy will not pitch until at least June. Let's hope that is optimistic. Peavy won 19 games in 2007 and won the Cy Young Award. He was again very good in 2008 but his record did not reflect his excellence. He was traded to the White Sox in 2009 for the stretch run and went 3-0 before again coming up injured. He pitched 17 games in 2010, but we hardly noticed. He showed an excellent K/BB ratio despite mixed results and then he was shut down for the season. He makes a lot of money, so he's all set there. But we'd love to see him come all the way back to the front line pitcher he once was.
Dontrelle Willis - This, besides Mark Prior, is probably the most pie-in-the-sky wish of them all. The trevails of Dontrelle Willis are well known and don't need to be repeated here. He has signed with the Cincinnati Reds and maybe the National League and some miracle can happen and we can all see Willis smile that wonderful smile again.
Pedro Martinez - Talk about your long shots. Pedro pitched for the Phillies down the stretch in 2009 and was destroyed by the Yankees in the World Series. He hasn't pitched since except for the WBC last year. We'd love to see him come back and twirl those whiffle ball sliders just a few more times.
Magglio Ordonez - Had to get a non-pitcher in here. Mags was having a great season last season when he was lost for the remainder of the season with a major injury. The Tigers have signed him to a $10 million deal, so you would think they expect to play him regularly for that kind of money. It would be nice to see him pick up where he left off. He is 36 and if he can have another productive three years, he becomes a marginal Hall of Fame candidate. Great career numbers we'd love to see added upon.
Chris Capuano - He was really a great comeback story last year. But he's a free agent now and it would be great to see him continue his comeback and get a full year in with someone. Excellent peripherals in his 60+ innings last year.
Manny Ramirez - Can the Fan write a piece like this without including Manny? A large percentage of baseball fandom would be happy if Manny went away like Barry Bonds, but this Fan would love to see one more big season from the goon.
***UPDATE*** Just thought of another one: Chien-Ming Wang
Mark Prior - The name alone speaks of unfinished work. He was like Stephen Crane, who died at the age of 26 and a genius was lost. Mark Prior was a pitching genius. Through his one big season and the sputtering of other partial seasons, Prior still ended up with a lifetime mark of over ten strikeouts per nine innings as a starter. By the time he last pitched in the majors (2006), he went 1-6 and still finished with a lifetime mark of 42-29. Prior pitched an inning in Triple A in 2010, the first inning of any kind in organized professional baseball in four years. It was a scoreless inning and he struck out two batters. Is the talent still there? Can he ever make it all the way back? The Yankees must think so because they signed him to a minor league deal. He's only 30 years old. Wouldn't that be awesome?
Brandon Webb - In the four years between 2005 and 2008, Brandon Webb won 70 games and lost only 37. During that span, he won a Cy Young Award and came in second twice. 2008 ended a five year run of never missing a start. He led the league in starts in two of those years, innings pitched once, batters faced once. He had a two year run where he was over 150 in ERA+ and in 2008, it was 141. And just as suddenly as could be, it was over. He pitched six innings in 2009 and none in 2010. Now he's ready to return and news outlets are reporting that he is near to picking a team to play for. Several are interested. Let's hope he can find the right home and resume was was turning out to be a beautiful career.
Jake Peavy - Last the Fan heard, Peavy will not pitch until at least June. Let's hope that is optimistic. Peavy won 19 games in 2007 and won the Cy Young Award. He was again very good in 2008 but his record did not reflect his excellence. He was traded to the White Sox in 2009 for the stretch run and went 3-0 before again coming up injured. He pitched 17 games in 2010, but we hardly noticed. He showed an excellent K/BB ratio despite mixed results and then he was shut down for the season. He makes a lot of money, so he's all set there. But we'd love to see him come all the way back to the front line pitcher he once was.
Dontrelle Willis - This, besides Mark Prior, is probably the most pie-in-the-sky wish of them all. The trevails of Dontrelle Willis are well known and don't need to be repeated here. He has signed with the Cincinnati Reds and maybe the National League and some miracle can happen and we can all see Willis smile that wonderful smile again.
Pedro Martinez - Talk about your long shots. Pedro pitched for the Phillies down the stretch in 2009 and was destroyed by the Yankees in the World Series. He hasn't pitched since except for the WBC last year. We'd love to see him come back and twirl those whiffle ball sliders just a few more times.
Magglio Ordonez - Had to get a non-pitcher in here. Mags was having a great season last season when he was lost for the remainder of the season with a major injury. The Tigers have signed him to a $10 million deal, so you would think they expect to play him regularly for that kind of money. It would be nice to see him pick up where he left off. He is 36 and if he can have another productive three years, he becomes a marginal Hall of Fame candidate. Great career numbers we'd love to see added upon.
Chris Capuano - He was really a great comeback story last year. But he's a free agent now and it would be great to see him continue his comeback and get a full year in with someone. Excellent peripherals in his 60+ innings last year.
Manny Ramirez - Can the Fan write a piece like this without including Manny? A large percentage of baseball fandom would be happy if Manny went away like Barry Bonds, but this Fan would love to see one more big season from the goon.
***UPDATE*** Just thought of another one: Chien-Ming Wang
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Some Free Agent Sleeper Picks
We have all heard the big names of this 2010 free agent class. Everybody knows about Cliff Lee, Adrian Beltre, Jayson Werth, Carl Crawford and Victor Martinez. Jorge de la Rosa's name has been bandied about. Carl Pavano is a free agent. Those two might get some buzz. But who are the sleepers? Who are the free agents that will surprise us with good seasons to help someone in a pennant run? Who will be 2011's Aubrey Huff, Melvin Mora, Adrian Beltre and Colby Lews that out of nowhere gets picked up and helps a team drive toward the playoffs? You know they're out there. Huff and Mora are free agents again. Here are a few who could have an impact:
Lance Berkman: Berkman has been slowed a lot by injuries the past few seasons. His body seems to be brittle at times which has made him age faster than some. But this writer still believes he can really help someone. Berkman would prefer not to be a full time DH, which limits him to the National League. But there are plenty of teams he can help. If Adam Dunn goes elsewhere, Washington is a possibility. The Bay Rays need a first baseman and a DH. This Fan thinks Berkman is going to have a very good season.
Lyle Overbay: The Fan has picked on Overbay in the past. He was over paid with the Blue Jays, but he has some nice qualifications. He gets his fair share of walks, still has pop in his bat and plays a pretty decent first base. He is an excellent option for the Bay Rays to replace Pena. He would easily be an upgrade over what Pena has done the past couple of years. Overbay can help somebody at the right price.
Magglio Ordonez: This Fan isn't sure most people know how good this guy's career line is. His career slash line: .312/.371/.511. A lot will depend on the health of his ankle and how much he is willing to take a pay cut from his far out contract of recent years. But he could help the Padres, the Pirates and the Athletics. He might have one more good year left in him if he is in the right situation.
Manny Ramirez: Yes, the Fan knows. He really does. But what if his down season last year really was due to injury? What if he could land in the right place and hit somewhere near three quarters of his lifetime averages? Couldn't that help somebody? Who knows if anyone wants the potential headaches, but Manny just might not be done.
Brandon Webb: Webb has missed a lot of time due to various injuries. But if he can come back near to his form, he could really help someone. The Twins, with their spacious ball park (somewhat like San Diego) would be an ideal place for him. The Cardinals could probably figure out how to make him effective again. It just seems like Webb will end up someplace and do well.
Kevin Millwood: Yeah, he's scary, eh? But put him in the right situation like maybe St. Louis or Minnesota and Millwood could have a very good season. He'll never be lights out, but he can get you some innings and keep you in the game.
Chirs Capuano: Capuano finally looked healthy last year after several years on the shelf. He was rusty after such a prolonged absence, but looked better as the season went along. In the right situation, Capuano could have a very nice season for somebody.
Lance Berkman: Berkman has been slowed a lot by injuries the past few seasons. His body seems to be brittle at times which has made him age faster than some. But this writer still believes he can really help someone. Berkman would prefer not to be a full time DH, which limits him to the National League. But there are plenty of teams he can help. If Adam Dunn goes elsewhere, Washington is a possibility. The Bay Rays need a first baseman and a DH. This Fan thinks Berkman is going to have a very good season.
Lyle Overbay: The Fan has picked on Overbay in the past. He was over paid with the Blue Jays, but he has some nice qualifications. He gets his fair share of walks, still has pop in his bat and plays a pretty decent first base. He is an excellent option for the Bay Rays to replace Pena. He would easily be an upgrade over what Pena has done the past couple of years. Overbay can help somebody at the right price.
Magglio Ordonez: This Fan isn't sure most people know how good this guy's career line is. His career slash line: .312/.371/.511. A lot will depend on the health of his ankle and how much he is willing to take a pay cut from his far out contract of recent years. But he could help the Padres, the Pirates and the Athletics. He might have one more good year left in him if he is in the right situation.
Manny Ramirez: Yes, the Fan knows. He really does. But what if his down season last year really was due to injury? What if he could land in the right place and hit somewhere near three quarters of his lifetime averages? Couldn't that help somebody? Who knows if anyone wants the potential headaches, but Manny just might not be done.
Brandon Webb: Webb has missed a lot of time due to various injuries. But if he can come back near to his form, he could really help someone. The Twins, with their spacious ball park (somewhat like San Diego) would be an ideal place for him. The Cardinals could probably figure out how to make him effective again. It just seems like Webb will end up someplace and do well.
Kevin Millwood: Yeah, he's scary, eh? But put him in the right situation like maybe St. Louis or Minnesota and Millwood could have a very good season. He'll never be lights out, but he can get you some innings and keep you in the game.
Chirs Capuano: Capuano finally looked healthy last year after several years on the shelf. He was rusty after such a prolonged absence, but looked better as the season went along. In the right situation, Capuano could have a very nice season for somebody.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Glut of First Base/DH Free Agents
It's probably not a good year to be a free agent this year if you are a first baseman or DH. The pond is full of those types of ducks. The list? Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Carlos Pena, Johnny Damon, Lance Berkman, Manny Ramirez, Lyle Overbay, Aubrey Huff, Jorge Cantu, Russell Branyon, Hideki Matsui, Marcus Thames, Troy Glaus, Adam LaRoche, Derrek Lee, Ty Wigginton and Adam Dunn. Obviously, Damon and Ramirez are more known as outfielders, but Damon could probably survive in left field for a couple of dozen games. Manny could not.
That's seventeen players who need to find a job among thirty teams. It seems pretty reasonable that Huff will re-sign with the Giants, so the Fan will leave him out of this conversation. Cantu, Glaus and Thames will be considered role players. The Fan is tempted to put LaRoche in that category, but won't for now. So that brings us down to thirteen to consider as starter types in this position. As the Fan mentioned yesterday, all of the value of these players has to be generated by their bats. Few analysts give first baseman any brownie (or WAR) points for playing first and certainly there are none for playing DH.
Saying all of that, let's take a look at each of the remaining thirteen and rate and rank them and perhaps even make a suggestion or two about which teams they may end up with:
1. Johnny Damon: Surprised? Yeah. Understood. But at 37, Damon still provides flexibility. He can play left, first or DH. Damon can still steal a base for you (22 of 24 the last two years) and hit an occasional dinger. He would be worth a one year deal at $12 to $14. Angels? Tigers?
2. Lance Berkman: Berkman really doesn't want to DH. But he's been a first baseman for a long time and won't hurt you too badly there. Teams shouldn't give up on batting him right handed. The Fan still thinks he has a good year in him. One year deal at $12 to $14 with options.
3. Lyle Overbay: This ranking is surprising the writer as much as you probably. But Overbay is perhaps the best fielder of the bunch at first, has some pop and will give you 70 or more walks a year. Useless against lefty pitchers though. Tampa Bay?
4. Paul Konerko: Last year feels more like an outlier than anything else. It would seem improbable for Konerko to match it. But his problem is that he will want to command the dollars such a year would bring. But at 35, he still may have a couple of valuable seasons left in him. He really isn't much of a first baseman any more but he can play there if that's what you need. He would be an asset for Tampa Bay, but it's doubtful they will spend that kind of money he will want.
5. Derrek Lee: Lee is the same age as Konerko but didn't have the kind of year Konerko did. He looks much older. It wouldn't seem wise to move Lee to the AL, but after watching that World Series, perhaps we have to stop thinking of the AL as the dominant league, eh?
6. Adam Dunn: Dunn is one of the youngest of the bunch, but he plays old. He's slower than a mule and he wasn't disastrous at first base, but he isn't great either. It's also troubling that his walks, long one of his staples, were way down this past year. But he still hit his 38 homers, no? He is another bat that could help the Bay Rays. He would be a perfect fit for them.
7. Carlos Pena: Pena has had two awful seasons in a row. But it really seems like if he had a chance to work with a really good batting coach, he could come back in a big way. His power is still there. He's still a tremendous fielding first baseman. And, best of all, he could be a major bargain for somebody. The Fan doesn't think Tampa Bay should re-sign him as he is in too much of a rut there.
8. Jim Thome: The Twins certainly got their money's worth with Thome last year. He can still hit the ball a mile and can still get his fair share of walks. But golly, the guy has to slow down some time. Shown a willingness to play for peanuts.
9. Adam LaRoche: He may be rated too far down this list. Had a serviceable year last year with 25 homers with 100 ribbies. But this Fan just can't get past the strikeouts. 172 last year is just intolerable. And his power may have been inflated by playing in Arizona for half his games.
10. Ty Wiggintin: Wigginton, by all accounts, is a good egg and a great teammate. His willingness to keep trying hard despite his team's struggles early last year say a lot about the type of player he is. But he's simply a marginal talent who, if put in the right place, could have an Aubrey Huff type season.
11. Vladmir Guerrero: Vlad had a great half of a season last year, but really looked ancient in the second half and in the post season. He can only DH which limits his options. He just might have another league average season in him before he heads to the Hall of Fame. It's too bad that the carpet in Montreal ruined so many legs of so many great players.
12. Hideki Matsui: Matsui had a marginal season for the Angels. This Fan feels he is done as a productive major league hitter. He is a proud man who has done great things in his career. Can you see him being a marginal player somewhere for peanuts? This Fan can't.
12. Russell Branyon: Good golly, can he play for another team? He probably will. His power will always get him a cheap look with someone.
13. Manny Ramirez: Wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. Sorry. He can ride off into the Barry Bonds sunset.
The first six on this list may get close to what they want for money. But the rest will be scrambling for jobs and it wouldn't be a surprise if a third of this list wasn't signed by the opening of Spring Training. Life goes on.
That's seventeen players who need to find a job among thirty teams. It seems pretty reasonable that Huff will re-sign with the Giants, so the Fan will leave him out of this conversation. Cantu, Glaus and Thames will be considered role players. The Fan is tempted to put LaRoche in that category, but won't for now. So that brings us down to thirteen to consider as starter types in this position. As the Fan mentioned yesterday, all of the value of these players has to be generated by their bats. Few analysts give first baseman any brownie (or WAR) points for playing first and certainly there are none for playing DH.
Saying all of that, let's take a look at each of the remaining thirteen and rate and rank them and perhaps even make a suggestion or two about which teams they may end up with:
1. Johnny Damon: Surprised? Yeah. Understood. But at 37, Damon still provides flexibility. He can play left, first or DH. Damon can still steal a base for you (22 of 24 the last two years) and hit an occasional dinger. He would be worth a one year deal at $12 to $14. Angels? Tigers?
2. Lance Berkman: Berkman really doesn't want to DH. But he's been a first baseman for a long time and won't hurt you too badly there. Teams shouldn't give up on batting him right handed. The Fan still thinks he has a good year in him. One year deal at $12 to $14 with options.
3. Lyle Overbay: This ranking is surprising the writer as much as you probably. But Overbay is perhaps the best fielder of the bunch at first, has some pop and will give you 70 or more walks a year. Useless against lefty pitchers though. Tampa Bay?
4. Paul Konerko: Last year feels more like an outlier than anything else. It would seem improbable for Konerko to match it. But his problem is that he will want to command the dollars such a year would bring. But at 35, he still may have a couple of valuable seasons left in him. He really isn't much of a first baseman any more but he can play there if that's what you need. He would be an asset for Tampa Bay, but it's doubtful they will spend that kind of money he will want.
5. Derrek Lee: Lee is the same age as Konerko but didn't have the kind of year Konerko did. He looks much older. It wouldn't seem wise to move Lee to the AL, but after watching that World Series, perhaps we have to stop thinking of the AL as the dominant league, eh?
6. Adam Dunn: Dunn is one of the youngest of the bunch, but he plays old. He's slower than a mule and he wasn't disastrous at first base, but he isn't great either. It's also troubling that his walks, long one of his staples, were way down this past year. But he still hit his 38 homers, no? He is another bat that could help the Bay Rays. He would be a perfect fit for them.
7. Carlos Pena: Pena has had two awful seasons in a row. But it really seems like if he had a chance to work with a really good batting coach, he could come back in a big way. His power is still there. He's still a tremendous fielding first baseman. And, best of all, he could be a major bargain for somebody. The Fan doesn't think Tampa Bay should re-sign him as he is in too much of a rut there.
8. Jim Thome: The Twins certainly got their money's worth with Thome last year. He can still hit the ball a mile and can still get his fair share of walks. But golly, the guy has to slow down some time. Shown a willingness to play for peanuts.
9. Adam LaRoche: He may be rated too far down this list. Had a serviceable year last year with 25 homers with 100 ribbies. But this Fan just can't get past the strikeouts. 172 last year is just intolerable. And his power may have been inflated by playing in Arizona for half his games.
10. Ty Wiggintin: Wigginton, by all accounts, is a good egg and a great teammate. His willingness to keep trying hard despite his team's struggles early last year say a lot about the type of player he is. But he's simply a marginal talent who, if put in the right place, could have an Aubrey Huff type season.
11. Vladmir Guerrero: Vlad had a great half of a season last year, but really looked ancient in the second half and in the post season. He can only DH which limits his options. He just might have another league average season in him before he heads to the Hall of Fame. It's too bad that the carpet in Montreal ruined so many legs of so many great players.
12. Hideki Matsui: Matsui had a marginal season for the Angels. This Fan feels he is done as a productive major league hitter. He is a proud man who has done great things in his career. Can you see him being a marginal player somewhere for peanuts? This Fan can't.
12. Russell Branyon: Good golly, can he play for another team? He probably will. His power will always get him a cheap look with someone.
13. Manny Ramirez: Wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. Sorry. He can ride off into the Barry Bonds sunset.
The first six on this list may get close to what they want for money. But the rest will be scrambling for jobs and it wouldn't be a surprise if a third of this list wasn't signed by the opening of Spring Training. Life goes on.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Doggonit, Manny!
Just when the Fan jumps out of the Manny pool, Manny puts on the charm and apologizes for the ending of his Boston career saying that the whole thing was his fault. Shoot, Manny, you did it again. The Fan had decided not to care how Manny does in Chicago. The Fan was determined to cut emotional ties with the most entertaining baseball player of the last fifteen years. And then Manny goes out and does this gesture. Crap.
Joe Torre came out and said after the whole last-Dodger-at-bat thing that he didn't think Manny quit on the Dodgers and though he was mad at the time, after talking with Manny, the manager said he believed it was a bad move on the umpire's part to eject the aging slugger. Crap. Another dagger in the "The Fan hates Manny now" mindset.
But the Fan has to be strong. One of the Fan's favorite readers commented with congratulations when the Fan threw away his Manny fetish. Now what is the Fan going to do? But it's hard, man. It's really hard because the guy is just so compelling. He always has been. And like it or not, there is always a soft spot in this writer's heart for redemption. AAARGGHHH!!
Stop it, Manny! Stop it right now! The Fan had this thing all figured out and there you go being all humble and crap. Not fair. Not fair at all.
Joe Torre came out and said after the whole last-Dodger-at-bat thing that he didn't think Manny quit on the Dodgers and though he was mad at the time, after talking with Manny, the manager said he believed it was a bad move on the umpire's part to eject the aging slugger. Crap. Another dagger in the "The Fan hates Manny now" mindset.
But the Fan has to be strong. One of the Fan's favorite readers commented with congratulations when the Fan threw away his Manny fetish. Now what is the Fan going to do? But it's hard, man. It's really hard because the guy is just so compelling. He always has been. And like it or not, there is always a soft spot in this writer's heart for redemption. AAARGGHHH!!
Stop it, Manny! Stop it right now! The Fan had this thing all figured out and there you go being all humble and crap. Not fair. Not fair at all.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Manny Loses the Fan
It's time to admit that the years spent defending Manny Ramirez were a waste of energy as much as it was a waste of energy for Manny to pinch hit in a game the Dodgers really needed and in a spot where he really could have made a difference. Even the Fan isn't gullible enough to believe that Manny didn't do that on purpose. Please. So yeah, the Dodgers did what they had to do. He crossed the line just like he has on so many other occasions. The Dodgers couldn't let the White Sox have him fast enough after that.
The Fan has blindly defended Manny Ramirez for all these years. He's entertained this writer like few other players in major league history. But Manny has a character flaw and the Fan tried to overlook it...defend it...laugh at it. It's not funny anymore. The character flaw is obvious. Manny Ramirez has little if any integrity. And if you knew the Fan, you'd know how important that character trait is. Integrity is probably the only thing in life we have complete control over. It's one of our few true freedoms, the choice to be a decent human being and to put others before yourself. Manny Ramirez has twice now (that we know of) chosen to not be a decent guy and not put others before himself.
So yeah, Manny will go to Chicago and get a few big hits for the White Sox. Only, this time the Fan won't care. This time, the Fan won't smile. Joe Torre is one man the Fan respects more highly than others he has rooted for in this life. The most telling thing about Sunday's swan song for Manny is that after he got himself kicked out of the game after one pitch, Torre did not even encounter the umpire. Torre never even left his seat. That speaks volumes, doesn't it?
The Fan has blindly defended Manny Ramirez for all these years. He's entertained this writer like few other players in major league history. But Manny has a character flaw and the Fan tried to overlook it...defend it...laugh at it. It's not funny anymore. The character flaw is obvious. Manny Ramirez has little if any integrity. And if you knew the Fan, you'd know how important that character trait is. Integrity is probably the only thing in life we have complete control over. It's one of our few true freedoms, the choice to be a decent human being and to put others before yourself. Manny Ramirez has twice now (that we know of) chosen to not be a decent guy and not put others before himself.
So yeah, Manny will go to Chicago and get a few big hits for the White Sox. Only, this time the Fan won't care. This time, the Fan won't smile. Joe Torre is one man the Fan respects more highly than others he has rooted for in this life. The most telling thing about Sunday's swan song for Manny is that after he got himself kicked out of the game after one pitch, Torre did not even encounter the umpire. Torre never even left his seat. That speaks volumes, doesn't it?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Manny's Lawyer Should Have Been Present
Don't know about you, but watching the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball game on ESPN irked this writer with its public skewering of Manny Ramirez. Manny, as many of you know, returned to Boston with the Dodgers for an interleague series. No matter what you think happened during Manny Ramirez's last season with the Red Sox, was it necessary to bring in Curt Schilling whose opinion on the subject has already been so public?
There are two things that disturb this writer about allowing Schilling to come into the booth and pull no punches on what happened with Manny during his last year with the Red Sox. First, isn't Schilling the first one to talk about the sanctity of the clubhouse if someone violates it? And here he is airing things all out there in public without allowing Manny to defend himself. It was a public execution. As far as the Fan knows, Manny has never aired his opinions on what happened in Boston. Schilling took great pride and enthusiasm in publicly skewering Ramirez and that doesn't seem right.
The second thing that bothered the Fan about the whole thing was ESPN allowing and probably encouraging the public flogging to take place. It would have been natural to bring Schilling into the booth at the scene of his heroics. Sure, bring the old workhorse in and talk about those heroics. But Jon Miller allowed the questioning to go right to Manny and allowed Schilling the opportunity that Schilling handled with relish. If the Fan was in charge of the telecast, the directive would have been not to publicly hang Ramirez during a telecast that the man couldn't defend himself against. It was ugly, that's what it was. And it was mean spirited.
The Fan isn't sure that Manny doesn't deserve the negative take on his last year in Boston. That's a question for history and reflection. If you want to debate the issue, put Manny in an interview room with Schilling and let them go at it. But geez, to allow a former teammate to come on a telecast and bury the guy which then allowed Orel Hershiser to continue the character assassination was just wrong. You could tell that Joe Morgan was uncomfortable in the situation. But Jon Miller seemed to enjoy what he had created.
It was uncalled for and in this Fan's opinion, unprofessional. And in another final aside, was Orel Herschiser really irritating during the telecast or what? From his baiting of Joe Morgan to his multiple references of "studying," he came across as the little kid who tries harder than everyone else and has to make sure everyone knows it. Worse than anything Steve Phillips used to do...
There are two things that disturb this writer about allowing Schilling to come into the booth and pull no punches on what happened with Manny during his last year with the Red Sox. First, isn't Schilling the first one to talk about the sanctity of the clubhouse if someone violates it? And here he is airing things all out there in public without allowing Manny to defend himself. It was a public execution. As far as the Fan knows, Manny has never aired his opinions on what happened in Boston. Schilling took great pride and enthusiasm in publicly skewering Ramirez and that doesn't seem right.
The second thing that bothered the Fan about the whole thing was ESPN allowing and probably encouraging the public flogging to take place. It would have been natural to bring Schilling into the booth at the scene of his heroics. Sure, bring the old workhorse in and talk about those heroics. But Jon Miller allowed the questioning to go right to Manny and allowed Schilling the opportunity that Schilling handled with relish. If the Fan was in charge of the telecast, the directive would have been not to publicly hang Ramirez during a telecast that the man couldn't defend himself against. It was ugly, that's what it was. And it was mean spirited.
The Fan isn't sure that Manny doesn't deserve the negative take on his last year in Boston. That's a question for history and reflection. If you want to debate the issue, put Manny in an interview room with Schilling and let them go at it. But geez, to allow a former teammate to come on a telecast and bury the guy which then allowed Orel Hershiser to continue the character assassination was just wrong. You could tell that Joe Morgan was uncomfortable in the situation. But Jon Miller seemed to enjoy what he had created.
It was uncalled for and in this Fan's opinion, unprofessional. And in another final aside, was Orel Herschiser really irritating during the telecast or what? From his baiting of Joe Morgan to his multiple references of "studying," he came across as the little kid who tries harder than everyone else and has to make sure everyone knows it. Worse than anything Steve Phillips used to do...
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Manny Ramirez - The Forgotten Dodger
Manny Ramirez has been so quiet this year that it would almost appear as if he wasn't playing at all. His counting stats are also quiet with only four homers to this point and he is batting .268 with an .814 OPS. He's only played in 41 of the Dodgers' 58 games and many of those were single pinch hit opportunities. So what's the deal with Manny?
His lack of playing time and productivity have lead some to conclude that his decline is due to not using steroids anymore. Certainly, they would appear to be correct. But it seems to this writer that (perhaps) injuries and lack of consistent game in and game out playing time has kept him from gelling. Ramirez is 38 now and his production was off his lofty levels last year. Perhaps this is just the general decline of an aging player.
But consider this, Ramirez has a .438 batting average with runners in scoring position this year. He drove in the only run of a 1-0 game last night and is probably the only player this side of Pujols that the Fan would want to have up in that situation. Despite his lack of playing time, he has still driven in 26 runs. The man can still deliver.
The Fan expects one of two things to happen the rest of the season: Either Manny will get more playing time and will explode into the kind of hitter we are used to, or he will get traded to an AL contender with a need for a DH (Detroit? New York?) and his interest will pick up and he'll start mashing the ball.
Many probably feel that we've seen the last of Manny Ramirez as an elite player. But this Fan has a sneaking suspicion that this story isn't finished yet.
His lack of playing time and productivity have lead some to conclude that his decline is due to not using steroids anymore. Certainly, they would appear to be correct. But it seems to this writer that (perhaps) injuries and lack of consistent game in and game out playing time has kept him from gelling. Ramirez is 38 now and his production was off his lofty levels last year. Perhaps this is just the general decline of an aging player.
But consider this, Ramirez has a .438 batting average with runners in scoring position this year. He drove in the only run of a 1-0 game last night and is probably the only player this side of Pujols that the Fan would want to have up in that situation. Despite his lack of playing time, he has still driven in 26 runs. The man can still deliver.
The Fan expects one of two things to happen the rest of the season: Either Manny will get more playing time and will explode into the kind of hitter we are used to, or he will get traded to an AL contender with a need for a DH (Detroit? New York?) and his interest will pick up and he'll start mashing the ball.
Many probably feel that we've seen the last of Manny Ramirez as an elite player. But this Fan has a sneaking suspicion that this story isn't finished yet.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Ramirez and Ortiz Bombshell - A Dud
Just when the baseball hunger was enjoying a feast of last minute trades and speculation about trades, someone slipped some peas onto the Fan's plate with a story about Manny and David Ortiz being on the 2003 list of those who tested positive for substances. The first thought upon hearing the news was, "Yeah, okay, whatever." And it has come to that. As the names dribble into the public from that infamous list that was supposed to be kept a secret, not one name on there would be a surprise anymore. And more names will leak. It has become a game.
Many will note that Oritz became the Big Papi in 2003. Coincidence? He was just a struggling guy on the Minnesota Twins before that. Sure, maybe the stuff helped spur the "Big" in the Papi, but whatever stuff the guys were using, the stuff doesn't invent talent. It would be like saying that LSD made John Lennon. It might be valid to say that LSD enhanced Lennon to write such songs as Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. But the talent was already there. See, that's the thing. Don't you think that A-Rod would have been a monster talent whether he ever used or not?
Okay. The Fan realizes that he is painting defenses which means that there is some dirt still plugged in the filter. The steroid thing is not a good thing for baseball. And, like it or not, the fans don't care any more. It's like violence on TV. After a while, when you see another real murder on the six o'clock news, no one feels anything about it any more. There is no shock. There is no outrage. It just is. Two more big names are revealed? Yawn.
Most fans feel the same way that this Fan does. The game was dirty before 2003 and Jose Conseco was probably right in that 80% of the players before that time were using something. Canseco is also right in that sooner or later, some current Hall of Fame member (or two or three) will be named and then what?
When that happens, we will all just have to conclude that baseball had a problem and had to clean it up. The clean up has already changed the game. More emphasis on defense and less on the long ball has already been the theme. Guys won't be as effective into their late thirties as we've seen in the last fifteen or so years. You won't see guys like Gary Sheffield producing well right up to the age of 38. So be it. But there is nothing any of us can do about all those added benefits players enjoyed from juicing up until 2003. Nothing. It is what it is and it was what it was.
So yes, Manny and Ortiz are tarnished a bit. But look at the cheers Manny got when he came back after his suspension. The fans could care less. Well, most of them anyway. Many will point to the decline of David Ortiz in the last two years and say, "See?" But we don't know that the decline wasn't the natural decline of a big boned athlete that normally occurs anyway.
Nothing is surprising anymore. No name is too big a name. Each revelation is just more peas to pick out of the pot pie. Just test the hell out of the current players and chalk the past up to the past. Nothing any of us can do about it anyway.
Many will note that Oritz became the Big Papi in 2003. Coincidence? He was just a struggling guy on the Minnesota Twins before that. Sure, maybe the stuff helped spur the "Big" in the Papi, but whatever stuff the guys were using, the stuff doesn't invent talent. It would be like saying that LSD made John Lennon. It might be valid to say that LSD enhanced Lennon to write such songs as Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. But the talent was already there. See, that's the thing. Don't you think that A-Rod would have been a monster talent whether he ever used or not?
Okay. The Fan realizes that he is painting defenses which means that there is some dirt still plugged in the filter. The steroid thing is not a good thing for baseball. And, like it or not, the fans don't care any more. It's like violence on TV. After a while, when you see another real murder on the six o'clock news, no one feels anything about it any more. There is no shock. There is no outrage. It just is. Two more big names are revealed? Yawn.
Most fans feel the same way that this Fan does. The game was dirty before 2003 and Jose Conseco was probably right in that 80% of the players before that time were using something. Canseco is also right in that sooner or later, some current Hall of Fame member (or two or three) will be named and then what?
When that happens, we will all just have to conclude that baseball had a problem and had to clean it up. The clean up has already changed the game. More emphasis on defense and less on the long ball has already been the theme. Guys won't be as effective into their late thirties as we've seen in the last fifteen or so years. You won't see guys like Gary Sheffield producing well right up to the age of 38. So be it. But there is nothing any of us can do about all those added benefits players enjoyed from juicing up until 2003. Nothing. It is what it is and it was what it was.
So yes, Manny and Ortiz are tarnished a bit. But look at the cheers Manny got when he came back after his suspension. The fans could care less. Well, most of them anyway. Many will point to the decline of David Ortiz in the last two years and say, "See?" But we don't know that the decline wasn't the natural decline of a big boned athlete that normally occurs anyway.
Nothing is surprising anymore. No name is too big a name. Each revelation is just more peas to pick out of the pot pie. Just test the hell out of the current players and chalk the past up to the past. Nothing any of us can do about it anyway.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Kicking Manny When He's Down
It seems to be a popular sport in this country to shoot at people that are already on the ground. Manny Ramirez is on a 50 game forced hiatis due to a positive drug test. And after Manny is already facing the music of his own making, Gordan Edes has this to say:
"It has been commonly held against Alex Rodriguez(notes) that teams play better after he leaves. It happened in Seattle, where the Mariners won a record-tying 116 games in 2001 after he signed with Texas as a free agent, and it also was the case in Texas, where the Rangers improved by 18 games in the standings in 2005 after he was traded to the Yankees.
But if that’s going to be said of A-Rod, will we soon be making the same
observation about Manny Ramirez? Since Ramirez was suspended for 50 games on May 10, the Los Angeles Dodgers are 12-5, a .706 winning
percentage, even after a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs here Friday qfternoon that ended a four-game road winning streak.Before the suspension, the Dodgers were 22-11, a .667 clip. Red Sox
officials, meanwhile, will gladly remind you that after trading Manny last season at the end of July, when they had their worst month of the year (13-16), they ran off their best two months of 2008, an 18-9 August and a 16-10 September.
Nice. If Edes thinks the Dodgers are a better team without Manny Ramirez, he's nuts (all due respect). The Dodgers have hit a total of nine homers since Manny departed seventeen games ago. That may be okay when facing the Diamondbacks and the Rockies of the world. But if and when they get to the playoffs and beyond, that won't cut it at all.
Also consider that Ramirez makes the lineup around him better. Ethier led the league in RBI early in the season. With Ramirez out, he's fallen like a rock in statistics. Pierre started hot in Manny's absence, but if you look at Pierre's lifetime stats, he'll settle back to where he's always been, which has never been nearly as good as Manny.
Say what you want about Manny Ramirez and kick the guy when he is down. But the Dodgers are a much better team when he is playing than when he is not. And Boston may have been good after he left them last year, but they are just so-so this year and the Red Sox lineup is not nearly as fearsome as it was.
And the Fan will leave with just one other thought: Would the Red Sox have lost to the Bay Rays in the playoffs last year if Manny was in the lineup? We'll never know, but this Fan doubts it.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Final Thoughts From the Manny Bombshell
It was a typical Sunday during the baseball season. It was too rainy and gloomy to play golf (course opened yesterday!) and Blogger has this feature where you can follow other blogs, even if they come from sources other than Blogger. Which is pretty magnanimous of them. One of the blogs followed here is Rob Neyer's Sweet Spot. Mr. Neyer's posts are thought provoking if one can overlook the over-reliance at times to a numbers-only way of looking at things. His response to the PED controversy somewhat mirrors the one here. That's why it was odd when it was discovered that a new post was available at his site and once navigation there was complete, a post was read stating that PED users should never make it into the Hall of Fame because of the integrity clause. That was odd, until it was discovered that this fairly misguided post wasn't from Mr. Neyer at all, but from one Preston Gomez. While PG's analysis is rejected as flawed by this writer, a comment from another reader caught the eye. This reader basically stated (in a nutshell) that this PED problem has occurred because Latin players were allowed into the major leagues.
The Fan was quite disturbed by the double dose of sanctimonious thinking. First, Gomez presented the case that saints like Koufax, Mays and others shouldn't have their Hall sullied by the likes of A-Rod and Manny Ramirez. That argument cannot hold up as the Hall is full of flawed characters whose "sins" are widely known and too long to list. The integrity clause has been a joke since the Hall's inception.
But then this commenter put an even more disturbing point of view out there. The problem with his comment was that this was obviously a well-educated person who wrote well and presented his statements effectively. But the racism and stereotypes he presented were distasteful and scary, quite frankly. We may have Obama in the White House. We may have Hispanic and African American managers, but we still have a long way to go to get most of America to believe that "All men are created equal." But it goes beyond that. Forgive a little Bible point of view, but the Word says that, "all men are sinners and fall short of the Glory of God." None of us are perfect, we are all flawed and our only course is forgiveness (when possible).
But the disturbing part of the whole thing is that, though this person was intolerant and ignoble, there is a shard of truth in that a large part of those caught up in this PED problem are Hispanic and specifically from the Dominican Republic. The Fan has quipped rather unpoetical at times about this here in the FanDome, but it's a deep well of a problem that has yet to have a full light shone upon it. We have only seen glimpses of the problem with the firing last year of a Cleveland Indian executive and then this spring with the problems exposed in the Nationals front office.
The undercurrent here is that there has been a major pipeline of ball players that have come from the Dominican Republic. That country, though it has made amazing strides in the last two decades towards a more modern economy and political structure, still has an imbalance of wealth. Those on the less fortunate end often dream of baseball as the Holy Grail of opportunity. And a long line of major leaguers have shown the way.
The unseemly end of that is the exploitation of these players by American executives that has not fully come to light. Be sure that an investigation is ongoing and a few bombshells will be exploded along the way eventually. There is a story here that has yet to be told. Part of that exploitation has been the introduction to these players to substances that will make them stronger, train harder and be better prepared or equipped to compete for major league jobs. Without a full understanding of the current culture of testing, these players are being tripped up on a monthly basis.
Make no mistake, PED use has been a problem on all ends of the race and ethnic spectrum. For every Sammy Sosa, there is a Mark McGwire. But too many of these suspensions turn out to be for players from the Dominican Republic and there is a reason that is happening. The financial windfall of escaping poverty to reach the promised land of MLB is too exciting not to use anything anyone gives you to reach that place.
The heading of this post is a bit misleading. Manny and A-Rod are not in this category. They weren't uneducated kids from a poor country trying to find a way out. Manny is only in the heading because the news about him this week started this thought process.
In this writer's opinion, the first positive test should lead to education and strict and weekly testing. The second positive should lead to the 50 game suspension. There has to be a built in safety net to catch those who have been exploited, misled or mishandled by doctors, trainers and even stores like the GNC.
We all want the game to get clean so that we can move on to other topics, like the game itself. Even those of us who are not upset about what players ingest want to get the game clean just so we can stop having to talk about it. And it seems to be the most fair to aid those who have come to their source of chemical help by Svengalis out there exploiting a pipeline that is all too often ripe for the picking.
The Fan was quite disturbed by the double dose of sanctimonious thinking. First, Gomez presented the case that saints like Koufax, Mays and others shouldn't have their Hall sullied by the likes of A-Rod and Manny Ramirez. That argument cannot hold up as the Hall is full of flawed characters whose "sins" are widely known and too long to list. The integrity clause has been a joke since the Hall's inception.
But then this commenter put an even more disturbing point of view out there. The problem with his comment was that this was obviously a well-educated person who wrote well and presented his statements effectively. But the racism and stereotypes he presented were distasteful and scary, quite frankly. We may have Obama in the White House. We may have Hispanic and African American managers, but we still have a long way to go to get most of America to believe that "All men are created equal." But it goes beyond that. Forgive a little Bible point of view, but the Word says that, "all men are sinners and fall short of the Glory of God." None of us are perfect, we are all flawed and our only course is forgiveness (when possible).
But the disturbing part of the whole thing is that, though this person was intolerant and ignoble, there is a shard of truth in that a large part of those caught up in this PED problem are Hispanic and specifically from the Dominican Republic. The Fan has quipped rather unpoetical at times about this here in the FanDome, but it's a deep well of a problem that has yet to have a full light shone upon it. We have only seen glimpses of the problem with the firing last year of a Cleveland Indian executive and then this spring with the problems exposed in the Nationals front office.
The undercurrent here is that there has been a major pipeline of ball players that have come from the Dominican Republic. That country, though it has made amazing strides in the last two decades towards a more modern economy and political structure, still has an imbalance of wealth. Those on the less fortunate end often dream of baseball as the Holy Grail of opportunity. And a long line of major leaguers have shown the way.
The unseemly end of that is the exploitation of these players by American executives that has not fully come to light. Be sure that an investigation is ongoing and a few bombshells will be exploded along the way eventually. There is a story here that has yet to be told. Part of that exploitation has been the introduction to these players to substances that will make them stronger, train harder and be better prepared or equipped to compete for major league jobs. Without a full understanding of the current culture of testing, these players are being tripped up on a monthly basis.
Make no mistake, PED use has been a problem on all ends of the race and ethnic spectrum. For every Sammy Sosa, there is a Mark McGwire. But too many of these suspensions turn out to be for players from the Dominican Republic and there is a reason that is happening. The financial windfall of escaping poverty to reach the promised land of MLB is too exciting not to use anything anyone gives you to reach that place.
The heading of this post is a bit misleading. Manny and A-Rod are not in this category. They weren't uneducated kids from a poor country trying to find a way out. Manny is only in the heading because the news about him this week started this thought process.
In this writer's opinion, the first positive test should lead to education and strict and weekly testing. The second positive should lead to the 50 game suspension. There has to be a built in safety net to catch those who have been exploited, misled or mishandled by doctors, trainers and even stores like the GNC.
We all want the game to get clean so that we can move on to other topics, like the game itself. Even those of us who are not upset about what players ingest want to get the game clean just so we can stop having to talk about it. And it seems to be the most fair to aid those who have come to their source of chemical help by Svengalis out there exploiting a pipeline that is all too often ripe for the picking.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
A Banny of Manny - The Fans Stuck in the Fanny
Of course everyone now has heard the news about Manny Ramirez. In case you have been in a cave or something, Manny Ramirez has been banned for fifty games for failing a drug test. He claims that his doctor prescribed something that contained a banned substance. Whether you want to believe that or not, it's up to you. Here in the FanDome, a person's word is believed until proof is offered otherwise.
One emotion that overrides all others is disappointment. There is not disappointment that another great player has been busted for a banned substance. The Fan has said it before and will say it again: Who the heck cares what players are ingesting into their systems. The Fan doesn't give a flying crap. What is disappointing is that we the fans will be deprived of watching Manny Ramirez for the next two months. That's what is so hard to take.
Of course the bulk of the big time writers are stepping all over themselves to get on their sanctimonious soapbox. Check out this Jeff Passan piece of crap. Yeah, Jeff, that's what we want, to never see the best players in baseball again for what most fans consider a gray area. Well, at least in Manny's case, most people already disrespect him already, so this will just add to the ammunition.
One of the things that has made Manny so different from all other players is that there is no BS about him. He doesn't go by any other drummer but the one he hears in his own head. So there is no reason really to disbelieve him. That's also why J. C. Romero is believable. And the question to be asked is if any rules that are so set in stone infallible? It is the same kind of thinking that forces judges to throw away a good professor for ten years for a certain number of pot plants in his basement while a rapist gets five years.
What if Romero and Ramirez are telling the truth? What if GNC sold Romero something that caused him to fail the test? What if Manny's doctor blew it by not being thorough enough to investigate the list of banned substances? Do they deserve the full fifty days? Do they deserve the time when A-Rod admits to using but gets nothing because it was before 2004...supposedly?
The whole thing smells. The Fan doesn't want Manny to be any more branded than he already is. The guy has been a blast to watch and to follow. The Fan has rooted against him for most of his career, but has smiled all along the way. Now, either because of a doctor error, or because of rigid and unworkable rules, it won't be until July that we can again find out what Manny will do next.
The Fan hopes Congress, all the sanctimonious writers and the commissioner are happy.
One emotion that overrides all others is disappointment. There is not disappointment that another great player has been busted for a banned substance. The Fan has said it before and will say it again: Who the heck cares what players are ingesting into their systems. The Fan doesn't give a flying crap. What is disappointing is that we the fans will be deprived of watching Manny Ramirez for the next two months. That's what is so hard to take.
Of course the bulk of the big time writers are stepping all over themselves to get on their sanctimonious soapbox. Check out this Jeff Passan piece of crap. Yeah, Jeff, that's what we want, to never see the best players in baseball again for what most fans consider a gray area. Well, at least in Manny's case, most people already disrespect him already, so this will just add to the ammunition.
One of the things that has made Manny so different from all other players is that there is no BS about him. He doesn't go by any other drummer but the one he hears in his own head. So there is no reason really to disbelieve him. That's also why J. C. Romero is believable. And the question to be asked is if any rules that are so set in stone infallible? It is the same kind of thinking that forces judges to throw away a good professor for ten years for a certain number of pot plants in his basement while a rapist gets five years.
What if Romero and Ramirez are telling the truth? What if GNC sold Romero something that caused him to fail the test? What if Manny's doctor blew it by not being thorough enough to investigate the list of banned substances? Do they deserve the full fifty days? Do they deserve the time when A-Rod admits to using but gets nothing because it was before 2004...supposedly?
The whole thing smells. The Fan doesn't want Manny to be any more branded than he already is. The guy has been a blast to watch and to follow. The Fan has rooted against him for most of his career, but has smiled all along the way. Now, either because of a doctor error, or because of rigid and unworkable rules, it won't be until July that we can again find out what Manny will do next.
The Fan hopes Congress, all the sanctimonious writers and the commissioner are happy.
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