Baseball

When Ichiro came over to the Mariners from Japan everyone thought it was kind of this kitchy PR move.  Nintendo owned the Mariners and bringing a Japanese player was just an easy way to make their presence felt.

Well, a few 200 hit seasons in a row and a march at both Japan’s Hall of Fame and Cooperstown should have washed away any doubt that Ichiro is BY FAR one of the best hitters of his generation.

The man quietly puts up an amazing average and consistently gets on base year-after-year.  Now, we need to add a new category to his greatness:  Read more... (311 words, 2 images, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

{ 0 comments }

photo credit: OlympianX

He got what he asked for…

A couple years ago Johan Santana was a two-time Cy Young winner AND the ace of the Minnesota Twins.  After they couldn’t accommodate his salary requests he was traded to the Mets.  Now, Santana says he’s happy for the Twins:

“Good for him and good for them.  They have a new ballpark, new revenues.  He’s a hometown hero. It makes all good sense. You go back a few years, every time we were a few players away and [the Twins] would develop two or three good players to fill in. But then someone [Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones or myself] would leave, and we’d be a few players away again. It could have been something if everyone could have stayed. It’s been pretty good anyway.”  Read more... (337 words, 4 images, estimated 1:21 mins reading time)

{ 0 comments }

Joe Mauer finally signed a 8 year, $184 million extension with the Twins today. This is good for baseball. This is good for Minnesota as he has a no-trade clause meaning he will stay in his home town.

While the yankee / met fan in me would have loved to see Mauer catching for one of the New York teams in 2011, the baseball fan in me knows it’s better this way. Baseball would be no fun at all if all the talent migrated to the Mega Budget teams in New York, Boston and Los Angeles. For the game to continue to thieve we need balance.  Read more... (265 words, 2 images, estimated 1:04 mins reading time)

{ 0 comments }

Okay we are just weeks away from opening day. It’s starting to look like the New York Mets could have four rookies on their 24-25 man roster when they play their first game that counts against the Florida Marlins on April 5th. It is possible at some point during that game the Mets could have rookie: Ruben Tejada at shortstop, rookie Ike Davis at first base, rookie Fernando Martinez in center field and rookie Jenry Mejia pitching. I say go for it.  Read more... (402 words, 2 images, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

{ 0 comments }

photo credit: JimmyRollins11

I think Cliff misses these stripes alot…

Cliff Lee threw at Chris Snyder on Monday–in a Spring Training game!–and now he’s suspended the first 5 games of the 2010 season.  Lee says that:

“I was trying to go inside, a couple got away from me, and the guy hitting got mad and came towards the mound and I got thrown out of the game in the process.  That’s it in a nutshell.”

I think what he means is:

“I’m pissed off that the Phillies traded me to God-forsaken Seattle.  What the hell!?  At least it didn’t rain all the time in Cleveland!”  Read more... (254 words, 4 images, estimated 1:01 mins reading time)

{ 0 comments }

After it was revealed that Ron Washington–Nationals Manager–tested positive for cocaine last year everyone started getting “up in arms” about this revelation.  However, they aren’t considering a few things that really need to be pointed out.  This is a troubling trend where we’re shooting at the wrong guy for the wrong thing.  This is a sport…and drugs are a different animal.

1.  Ron Washington used to be a player.  He came out of an era where people were using stuff and no one was paying attention.  So, in part, it’s baseball’s fault for not dealing with that kind of stuff sooner.  It would have made much more sense to say, “This is a shame, but this is what baseball allowed for a LONG TIME”.  Read more... (309 words, 2 images, estimated 1:14 mins reading time)

{ 0 comments }

I am sitting here watching the Mets play the Twins on SNY. Santana on the mound for the Mets. He doesn’t look awesome but it’s still spring. He’s healthy and that’s the big thing. He’s at plus 50 pitches and looking strong.

Listening to Ralph Kiner talk. The man has been with the Mets since the start and he knows his baseball. Wow, he just said, Fernando Martinez reminds him of Ted Williams. What a compliment, especially for a guy who probably won’t go north with the team. It looks like the Mets are set on Angel Pagan and Gary Mathews Junior manning center until Beltran gets back. In a way I can see that but Martinez’s .500 average, 11 rbis and 3 round trippers are hard to pass up on though.  Read more... (314 words, 2 images, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

{ 0 comments }

photo credit: Scott Ableman

Finally, something smart!

I know, the headline sounds unbelievable.  Saying the Nationals did something right is like saying that the sky is purple–but I promise I’m telling the truth.  The Nationals resisted and sent Stephen Strasburg to Minor League camp yesterday.  They know that he will end up being a star in the bigs, but they also got smart enough to realize that that isn’t him YET.  Read more... (4 words, 4 images, estimated 1 secs reading time)

{ 0 comments }

Baseball’s Playing Rules Committee is getting together to discuss some possible “rule” changes. A couple things being considered are changing the first round of the playoffs to best of seven. Taking away the link between the all-star game and the World Series. Adding replay for fair-or-foul calls. Oh, they also want games to be faster.

My thoughts on these possible changes. I guess I would like to see the first round go to best of seven. Though I don’t know how they can pull this off without playing games into the second week of November. Still, more baseball is always a good thing in my book.  Read more... (421 words, 2 images, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)

{ 0 comments }