An Introduction to Baseball

My little buddy keeping a close
eye on the little girl on the GO Train
wearing a BoSox shirt and Hat.
I didn't trust her either buddy. 

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a Blue Jays game at the now ‘Rogers Centre’ versus the Boston Red Sox. For the first time since  1993 the Jays are playing meaningful games in September. At that time they had  strong hopes of making it into the playoffs and now possibly even a  Division Championship. That in itself makes for a great atmosphere and  reason to attend a game. What made this even more special was the  opportunity to expose 2 new ‘fans’ to live baseball.  Also in  attendance for the game was my father and little second cousin who is 2 years old. For both of these budding super fans it was their first  experience in watching a Major League game live.  It is a much easier  sell to a toddler… make it sound like it is a treat and the most fun  thing since Thomas the Train or TruckTown. Before the game when watching highlights from the day before he would see the ballgame on TV and tell everyone in the room that he was going to the baseball game! He said it with such pride you would have to be made of stone not to get jacked up yourself. I figured that it would be next to impossible to get my dad to go but to my surprise he was very  enthusiastic about this adventure to Toronto, riding the train and  hanging out with 48,000 new friends! To attend with two newbies was great and added to the gameday experience.

I was as shocked as anyone that he sat on my knee for
as long as he did. I guess we can add Cheese Puffs to
 'Take me out to the Ballgame'

I remember the first time that I went to a Blue Jays baseball game. In  fact  it was the first Major League game that I had ever attended. It was at the SkyDome back on June 23, 1990 (531 R19 Seat 10 and was a 1:35 start). The Blue Jays were  taking on the hated New York Yankees. They had been bad for much of  the 80s so they were far less hated then they have become.

I remember taking the trip to my aunt and uncles in Mississauga for  the weekend to take in the game. I was so excited! At that time I would have been 10 so I had played and followed  baseball for a little while and had a pretty good grasp of the game  and the players on the team. We were going to the Saturday game. I recall hoping that they would  sit both Fred McGriff and Kelly Gruber the Friday night before the  game we were going to. Those were my two favorite players on the team  at the time so I wanted to assured they would be in the lineup when I was there. Fred McGriff because he was the “Crime Dog” and had that  cool looking extended bow of a  follow through after his swing. The first  pack of O-Pee-Chee baseball cards that I bought (yep the ones with the  rock hard and sharp piece of pink gum in them) had a Kelly Gruber card  in it. My first pack, and it had a Blue Jay in it! Not only that but  that Blue Jay was sporting one sweet flowing blond mullet. How can  anyone compete with that, it was everything a young Blue Jays/baseball  fan could ask for!

I remember We were on the third base line, just about even with the  bag I believe and up in the 500 Level. Since none of us knew any  better these were great seats! You could see everything. The game was  exciting as I recall but as a kid at his first ball game it was going  to be exciting no matter what. There were 2 distinct events that  happened that game that I recall very well. Glenallen Hill leaping up  over the fence to try to bring back a home run that was traveling over  the wall for a home run and his glove falling off over the fence. The other was hearing the music play when  the closer, Tom Henke, was entering the game.

This time around I was the more veteran ballgame go-er, even if it was  only by a few games but I had the privilege of helping introduce live  baseball to an older non-sports fan and at the same time hopefully help  expose a new youngster to the fun and enjoyment of attending live sports events, even though the little  guy that I was with was probably too young to retain much from the game itself, how it was played or what the rules are.

Boston BP prior to the game

We got to the game during the Red Sox batting practice so this was a good time to venture around the concourse and see some sights and take in the overall baseball experience. As one might imagine with a toddler nap time is key so before the game started and a couple of innings into the ballgame my little buddy enjoyed a quick power nap. The 4:07pm first pitch  was both good and bad. It gave plenty of time to get to the stadium and see some things but it also meant that the game would not end until after 7:30pm. As anyone who has been around children for any amount of time ever, they tend to be up pretty early and that makes for a long day for everyone involved.

Me and my second favorite management person at Rogers Centre next to Alex Anthopoulos.
Great for a friend to take a minute to stop by and say hi

Jamie Campbell and a very subdued suit that Greg Zaun  was sporting on Blue Jays Central before the game. 

The only regret I have from the game was my lack of the traditional 'Ballpark Food' exploration. I like to try different ballpark goodies when I am at games. Each stadium has some sort of signature food that they are known for. I was just so caught up in everything that I didn't get a chance to explore the options. I know my buddy who runs theballparkguide.com would not be pleased at this over site but rest assured I will make up for it next time! I regret to say that I also dropped the ball after the game when we stopped at the HWY 55 Burgers Shakes and Fries. It is a new franchise in Oakville and appears to be the only one in Canada at the moment as it is not even listed as a location yet on the www.hwy55.com website. They offered a Shrimp Po' Boy and I did not order it...rookie mistake. I opted for a regular shrimp burger but I feel I should have splurged and gone Po' Boy style. Guess I will have to schedule another trip soon and make up for this miscue.

Not the same as the
old style tickets you used
to get at sporting events

 Not only was it a Red Sox day but also it  was a Jr. Jays day. A welcome distraction for a youngster who may get restless just sitting and watching a baseball game. Heck, a lot of adults have trouble sitting through a full game. He got to participate in some of the kids games and  activities they had and came away with some cool souvenirs from the game. He got a neat Blue Jays  airbrushed "tattoo" , a few Jays stickers and a Jays lunch bag. He was also spoiled with a swirled soft serve ice cream in a Blue Jays batting helmet. I was jealous of this and figured I needed to treat myself to one as well. What can I say I am a sucker for hats at baseball games.  He also left with a snazzy Blue Jays stitched toddler’s jersey that was purchased to commemorate his first game. Maybe it will end up on the wall in his room someday.



Because of his age there was a bit of an issue with the volume in the stadium. Music and sound effects may have been a bit overwhelming at times. There was also the semi-unexpected presence of Toronto fans actually cheering a home team and actually being engaged with that team. Success is not something that a lot of Toronto sports fans are familiar with so to be in a stadium that was so engaged was a bit foreign. Other then that there were no major problems.

These were our seats for the game...Just at the edge of the "B" in
the Budweiser sign out in Left Center. No view of the video board
but had 2 TV screens to view the game on.

Perhaps next season, after a little more 'seasoning' we can try for another game or two. I would love to attend another jays game with him but maybe we can fit in an Independent League game in Ottawa (The Ottawa Champions). I think exposing a potential new and young fan to a high level of baseball at a stadium that is not packed to the brim and offers a chance to be outside and get right up close to the action can only build on future interest and an understanding of the game.

Despite her best efforts to gain entry, just because your last name is Holder does not
mean you can gain access to the stadium through the Season Holders entrance.

Hopefully he is able to take away the excitement from the fans in the  stands, the music that was played throughout the game and just the overall atmosphere of being with a group of people gathered together with one common goal…To ROOT ROOT ROOT for the home team! Because as  we all know, if they don’t win it’s a shame!

Baseball's Winter Wonderland

Although still early, the Winter Meetings wrapping up in San Diego, there has already been some big Domino’s that have fallen. The Oakland A’s have been one of the busiest teams in terms of  trades. They have already made a blockbuster move with Toronto involving their 3^rd baseman Josh Donaldson and another with The White sox involving starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija.. They have also made some Free Agent moves in picking up Billy Butler formerly of the KC Royals.

The Atlanta Braves have been fairly active as well in their pursuit to revamp a roster that is need of a face-lift and also in need of some added depth both at the major league and minor league level. The Braves have already done one Blockbuster deal when they Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden.to the Cardinals for Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins. They also moved Tommy La Stella for Arodys Vizcaino and International Free Agent money. The Braves also dipped into the free agent market already with the signing of relief pitcher Jim Johnson and right fielder Nick Markakis.

It looks like new GM John Hart is not done his transformation of the Braves just yet. There is the looming issue of both Uptons (B.J. and Justin) and Evan Gattis. Justin and Evan are the most likely to be dealt but if Hart can mange somehow to ‘mind trick’ another GM into taking BJ and his contract off his hands (like JP did for the Jays with Vernon Wells and Alex Rios) he would probably be praised by Braves nation. It will be interesting to see what Hart is able to do regarding these players. Justin Upton would likely fetch the best package in return, it is just a matter of what Hart is looking for and what other GM’s are willing to part with. It is no secret that the Braves are looking for young controllable arms as well as shore up a currently depleted farm system starved for high end talent.

The Braves were looking at a possible power replacing outfielder in Cuban, Yasmani Tomas but he chose to sign with Arizona so the Braves elected to take a look at Dian Toscano, a lesser known Cuban that sounds like more of a contact hitter then a big power threat like the most recent Cubans who have come over of late. It is looking like one of John Hart’s objectives is to move the identity of the team to a more contact oriented lineup. Power is a great thing and can prove to be imposing but if you are striking out more often then not it can’t help but hurt the teams ability to manufacture runs. Good pitching can stifle big power and when that is not there you need to be able to put the ball in play and that is something the Braves struggled with down the stretch last season The team has also obtained the services of former A’s infielder Alberto Callaspo as a 2^nd base option.

The Braves are still thin on a starting rotation that has only 4 members thus far. Depending on what other trades or other moves are made, pitching will be a major point of focus for the team. When you think of The Braves, people still tend to remember the good ol’ days of Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz being the backbone of the team. With the quality of arms that are in the NL East already the Braves will need to bolster their arms and offence if they hope to compete.

All eyes will still be on Atlanta and GM John Hart as there are still a number of moving pieces that need to be resolved, either via Free Agency or by trade. And the waiting game continues... 

Atlanta Braves: Locking Up The Core

In a few short years the Atlanta Braves will be leaving their home lovingly known as 'The Ted' aka Turner Field. Turner Field and was built for the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games, it was then transformed into the new home for the Braves the move there from Atlanta Fulton County Stadium aka 'the launching pad'.  Turner Field, named after former owner and a media mogul Ted Turner is owned by the city of Atlanta and is now starting to show its age. By the time the braves moved to their new location it will be roughly 20 years old. Not that old by building standards but the fact that it is not owned by the ball club limits and what they can do in terms of upgrades and what revenue they can generate for themselves. For instance parking and concessions.

It is widely regarded that teams than build their own stadiums will receive and immediate bumping in revenue streams, that higher ticket sales and more people to the park. It stands to reason that if you're making more money you have more money available that can be put toward payroll. With the Braves owning the building in being the primary tenant has seemingly allowed the Braves to open up their wallets this off-season. GM Frank Wren has been given the authority and financial flexibility to identify the young core of the Braves moving forward.  Not only is moving into a new stadium helping their financial commitments, national television money as well as regional TV rights are allowing the braves to up their payroll. It has been a few years, probably not since Ted Turner sold the team to AOL Time Warner that the Braves have been in a position to spend a little more money.

GM Frank Wren and upper management have clearly made in a mandate to lock up their young core of players and haven't already begun that process this off-season. The Braves had three major young arbitration eligible players that they needed to take care of this off-season. In the beginning it and looked like they were going to be a file and a trial team. This basically means the player gave them a number they thought they deserved and the team did the same. A hearing would be held to decide which dumber would be used for the upcoming season. It appear the braves were going to take their chances on one ever the ruling was in each case for a one year deal.

It was then that the report came in that first baseman Freddie Freeman had signed an 8yr $135M contract. Freeman was in the running for NL MVP this past season and is currently only 24 and has now received the richest contract in teams history.  Right now it looks like he used to be tented as the new face of the franchise, ironically enough, taking that title from his good buddy Chipper Jones. After that deal was made and probably realizing that the free agent crop this year was not that deep the Braves came to terms on another in young potential star Jason Heyward on a 2 yr $13M deal.  Heyward is coming off a tough injury plagued season where he was sidelined after an emergency appendectomy for a few weeks, than came back and was inserted at the top the lineup where he and the team thrived during a double digit winning streak. Then an untimely (not that there is ever a good time) pitch to the face that fractured his orbital bone sent him to the DL again.  Because of all the missed time it was hard for the two sides to come up with a good mutual number on a long-term deal. If Heyward is able to stay healthy and produce to the level in which he and the team expects then they can begin to look at a multi-year extension.

At this point the braves surprised many people by turning their focus to one of their young key starters. Braves announced they had signed Julio Teheran to a six-year $32.4 million extension that includes an option for the 2020 season. If the option is exercised, the 23-year-old pitcher will earn $44.4 million over the next seven seasons.  Given the price of any of the top free agent pitchers each year, locking up Teheran now and buying out his arbitration years could potentially be a team friendly contract.  Even though he is young there's still a risk that the team is taking.  One can never predict injuries or drop off in skill when it comes to pitchers.  They're the biggest gamble of all.  Pick correctly and you set yourself up to be a contender for years to come, pick wrong and you have a very expensive player pitching at your AAA affiliate....  Blue Jays and Ricky Romero I am looking in your direction.

It looked like at that point the Braves would be done and have a whole off-season biz is taking care of, except of course the arbitration hearing for young closer Craig Kimbrel. It was thought that Kimbrel would go through the process get a one year deal and then the braves would have to decide how much they were willing to invest in a player who will only pitches one the inning, the ninth.  Sure it is a very important inning, when teams have to decide how important and how much money to allocate to that position.  It is a risky proposition to sign a closer to a big money multi-year deal.  The Braves have decided to take that risk and sign Kimbrel to a four year $42M deal.  Kimbrel has only been in the league for three seasons but has already proven himself to be one of the premier closer's in baseball and has had his name mentioned the last couple of years in both the CY Young and MVP categories.  The Braves are clearly taking your risk on him be able to sustain the level he is currently at.  If he is able to do so he will almost definitely and live up to his once on a  generation player type contract that he signed.  Hopefully for the Braves sake he can do that and not end up like a guy and within an anchor contract that has been given in the past to closer's like Randy Myers, Jonathan Paplebon and perhaps worst of all BJ Ryan.

I like with the Braves have done and have identified their core group and lock them up for the foreseeable future.  Sure they have are taking a risk but based on the age of the productivity and grooves that the players have shown thus far in their development, hopefully the moves will pay off in the long run and keep these guys together as perennial contenders.

To help the Braves keep the same winning message, they have just extended 2 more pieces of their core...on the management side. GM Frank Wren and manager Fredi Gonzalez have both come to terms with the team. This is a good sign, stability in a good franchise with a winning culture is key. Confidence breeds confidence and winning breeds winning.

Just as I was about to post this blog word came down that the The Braves have just signed Andrelton Simmons to a 7 yr 58M contract extension. Simmons now joins fellow teammates Freeman, Kimbrel, Teheran being locked up in the Atlanta system and putting them in a position to be in the organization when they make the move to their new stadium in 2017. Simmons is widely regarded as one of the best defensive shortstops in the Majors. He also has showed that he has the  ability to impact games with his bat as well. He has very good offensive numbers and can  provide a little bit of pop as well. If he continues to improve as he gains more time this could be a great set up for the Braves over the next 5 years. It is an interesting plan that the Braves have to ensure that this group of guys will get to play and grow together.

The Braves have always been a consistent team but seemingly have constant turn over. With the
majority of their core being so young gives them the unique chance to set their line up as well as give the franchise a good idea of what there payroll will be and what they are able to do with other home grown talent as well as what they can and can not due in terms of  free agency. Sometimes making a big splash with a free agent signing is not nearly as important as the deals you can get done with guys you have drafted and/or developed.

It is interesting to note that former Cleveland Indians executive John Hart, who is now in the front office with the braves was one of the first GM's to utilize the strategy of identifying and wrapping up a core of young players.  Back in the early nineties Hart watched the Pirates lose key players like Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonillia because once they reach to free agency they were too expensive for the small market Pirates to afford. Hart rolled the dice by signing Sandy Alomar Jr. and Carlos Baerga to long-term deals before they were eligible for arbitration. This set the stage for long-term deals that likely kept Omar Vizquel, Jim Thome, Albert Belle and Manny Ramirez in Cleveland longer than if all of these players had been allowed to go through the arbitration process.

The Braves hitter knee identified this strategy as one that they would attempt to do even before hart joined the club but his knowledge and insight clearly help get all parties on the same page.

It will be interesting to see how these players perform going forward but if these players pan out and can form the core that the Braves hope they can they should be able to be in a position to contend each year for a division title and it hopefully also a playoff spot.
Welcome to Braves Country!

Thank You Chipper

Today, pitchers and catchers report to spring training along with some position players that are eager to get a jump on the season and put them in a position to come out of the gate as strong as possible. For the first time since the mid 90's there will be no Chipper Jones in the dugout. It is clearly the end of an era. The Braves have done a good job at re-tooling the roster in the absence of their recently departed future Hall of Fame third baseman. In honor of Spring Training opening it seems appropriate to thank Chipper for what he has done for the Braves and all the fans of the Braves over his career. Three Cheers! 

In five years time there will be a ceremony held for Major League Baseball and that of course is the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. At that time, baring something outlandish and crazy, will be when the great Chipper Jones' road to greatness should be complete. Chipper should be a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee and there should be no question about that. At least there will not be any controversy on what hat he is going to be wearing when he is enshrined in Cooperstown  As a player who was drafted by Atlanta, moved up through the organization, World Series Champion in 1995, won an MVP in 1999, 8 times All-Star, 2008 batting champion and stayed there right to the end- 19 consecutive seasons, 14 of which resulted in consecutive division titles.

The Braves have seemingly known when to cut bait with players just as they have peaked and then parted ways to get younger or restructure...that didn't happen with Chipper. The Braves knew he was the face of the franchise and his production never warranted them to think otherwise. The only reason for any decline in production was from injury and no one could disagree that when Chipper was on the field that he was going to make the team better, more feared and had a leader out there with them.

Maybe at some point Chipper will make his way back into the game. Maybe in the Braves front office or maybe in some sort of player development role like a hitting coach (sorry Greg Walker). Imagine having Chipper Jones as a batting coach, it would be like talking hitting with Ted Williams. How could a player not get better?

The stats clearly support that honour. A .303 batting average, 468 Home Runs, 1623 RBI, and 2726 hits...as a switch hitter. If that isn't impressive enough he did it all with one team. It pains one to think what kind of numbers he would have had he been able to stay healthy towards the end of his career. Had he been able to play in 1994 as well would have added to his overall stats. The Braves were the team that drafted him, the team he played his entire career with, he is and was the face of the franchise. Jones was an unselfish player in a time that was and is know for players being selfish. He never came that close to becoming a free agent and test the market, remarkable in this day and age. After being an All-Star 3rd baseman whom had already won a World Series a batting title and an MVP made the move to left field so the Braves could add Vinny Castilla. He also unselfishly re-did his contract so that the Braves could free up some $15 million to be able to go after and sign other players that would be able to help the Braves win. Again, not something that you will see from very many athletes is just about any sport.

Many people will compare him to other great switch hitters throughout history, Eddie Murray and Micky Mantle. That is a little unfair as he truly is his own man. He holds his own and can stand alone. He has earned that.

On June 13, 2008 Chipper was hitting .419 

and there was talk that maybe he could be 

the first player since Ted Williams to 

end the season over .400

From 1995 on there was a consistency Braves fans from the US and Canada could expect and enjoy. The Braves continuing to tack on division titles, Chipper Jones evolving to become the face of "America's Team" everyday, and on TBS (except during rain delays when we could be re-acquainted with The Andy Griffith Show). In addition, to get the feeling of a family and friendly atmosphere with the announcing team, led by Skip Carry, with Pete Van Wiren, Joe Simpson and Don Sutton. That was the perfect storm and a great time to be not only a Braves fan but also a baseball fan.

Not since Cal Ripken Jr. has a player announced his final year of play and enjoyed a farewell tour to the extent that Chipper enjoyed. Just about every team he visited, his last time into town, honored him and his career and more often then not passed along a nice thoughtful gift on behalf of the opposing franchise. Teams would not do that for a ballplayer that was just a good player, or a great player...but they sure would, and did, for a Hall of Fame player.

There will be a lot missed by Braves fans with a loss of the magnitude that is the loss of the face of your franchise both on the field and off. From a strictly on field view, the loss of a corner infielder. One who, for the majority of his 19 year MLB career, put up good solid defense and contributed offensively as not only the 3rd bat in the lineup but the backbone to the lineup but also the spark plug. Off the field, I am sure that he will still be the community minded guy who is involved in various charities. From a more indirect view, not getting to see Chipper and follow him and being inspired by him and his play will be a loss for the young kids. The average fan can see what impact Chipper has had on the growth of baseball in Georgia and the players that are being produced from those youth systems. Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann are just 2 examples already.
Fans will remember seeing that switch hitter with his Blond Bat from the left side and the Black Bat from the right side, that smooth swing that reminds you of Ted Williams and the bull dog look on the field and in the dugout.

It is an old joke but as many Braves fans have said and will continue to say: Thank You Todd Van Poppel! Van Poppel appeared as a tough player to sign and made it a no brainer for the Braves to take Chipper as the first overall pick in the Free Agent Draft. The rest is history!

There are probably rules that need to be adhered to, but would it not be fitting after whom-ever is selected to provide the introduction speach at the Hall of Fame (maybe his father, maybe Bobby Cox) in 5 years time to announce: "Please welcome this years inductee, Larry Wayne 'Chipper' Jones" and then hear it---

`All aboard! Ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaa! ( dum-dum...dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum)

Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay` -  Crazy Train by Ozzie Osbourn

Would that not just be amazing? Just imagine the goose bumps and chills!!

Thank you Chipper for all that you have meant to The Braves, The Fans, and to Baseball. 
All the best in retirement and a hope to see you back in the game in one way or another.

Huge Deal For Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are set to acquire starters Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, shortstop Jose Reyes, infielder/outfielder Emilio Bonifacio and catcher John Buck from the Marlins. This is one of those epic deals that is very rare in general for any sport. A deal of this magnitude is rare but even more so because it is involving a Canadian team. Having a deal that will rock the baseball world and being done by the Toronto Blue Jays is almost unbelievable.

A deal like this is something out of a video game or a fantasy league and that can't help but bring hype to a team that needs to be brought to the for front in the city. With no hockey the Jays have a huge opportunity to become the team of the City an this is a great start. Maybe it works, maybe it will be a failure of epic proportions but it has brought back a buzz and optimism to a team that was...3 hours ago a near afterthought and not a lot of love after a dismal end to the season.

The Blue Jays were criticized for the handling of the John Farrell situation, that they had no direction and had no manager. Now the last thing on peoples mind is the loss of Farrell. It will be interesting to see what GM Alex Anthopoulos does in regards to a new manager but you can bet that there will be some interest from players and fans alike.

It appears that the Marlins will receive a package that includes shortstops Yunel Escobar and Adeiny Hechavarria, major-league starter Henderson Alvarez, minor-league starter Justin Nicolino Jacob Marisnick, and a catcher maybe JP Arencibia.

Not missing hockey anymore...they can stay locked out now for the full season as far as I am concerned, my interest has now shifted back to baseball. I remember now what a fan I used to be, nice to have that back. I look forward to see what else happens with this team to fill out the roster. I think there is a spot at 2nd base and Left Field.

More to come I am sure!

Baseball Awards 2012

Here is something that I still don't understand about baseball and the way that they reward their regular season awards. You would think that they would have some sort of showcase or at least a small tv or online special that they could champion the faces of baseball and also grab a little coverage for the sport during the off season  At the very least it would or could add some decent publicity and programming time to the MLB Network or one of the many other sports specific networks. NBC sports has a new channel, CBS Sports has a new channel, obviously there is Fox Sports and the mothership ESPN.

Another point that shows that they are throwing away an opportunity to help promote the game of baseball and keep the sport in the front of mind when they are in the off season  I understand that holding off announcing the winners 2 weeks after the end of the World Series helps do that but announcing 1 a day for 3 or 4 days does a disservice, plus it is annoying and more likely to be lost on the casual fan. These are major awards for your sport why would you not want to celebrate the best of the best in your game? You play 162 regular season games and these guys are the faces of your sport, promote them, promote the game.

The Gold Glove awards were announced yesterday and there were a few interesting choices and also a few of what you will expect.There were 9 first time award winners. It is nice to see that the voters seemed to make an effort to get a correct list and not just give it to the same guys every year just to be lazy. It was also  good to see Braves right fielder Jason Heyward grab a Gold Glove. For a full list click HERE

                                           

One interesting point that I noticed was the fact that the Orioles managed to have 3 players get the nod. A good achievement for sure in sheer volume but what sticks out isn't even the players that won but the positions that they played. The Orioles were a surprise team this year in the AL East and qualified for the Wild Card Play-In Game and it is clear that defense played a role in them getting there. People always say that pitching and defense win championships, those same people also say that you want to be a team that is strong up the middle. If that is true then the Baltimore team followed that blueprint. The 3 Gold Glove winners were Catcher Matt Wieters, Shortstop J.J. Hardy, and Center Fielder Adam 'Don't call me Pac-Man' Jones. That is solid D in all field general positions and probably why they were as good as the team as they were. It was a bit surprising that Mike Trout did not get the nod as he is one of the games most exciting defenders and it is not easy to stand out as a defender. That could be the first of a couple of snubs to Trout. He will be assured the rookie of the year but may fall short on the MVP front. Miguel Cabrera's Triple Crown season may have slipped past Trout's achievements. 

It would be interesting to see what the results would be had MVP voting came after the post season. I am sure some votes would be changed. Poor batting in the World Series in combination with his less then warm demeanor may have changed the vote by some of the writers. I think the feel good rookie story would have been rewarded more for that reason, plus, Trout seems to be a more approachable guy. Popularity always plays a part whenever anyone is in a position to vote for anything.

Playoff Baseball Creates Real 'Legends Of The Fall'

Well, Reggie Jackson is not playing in any of these baseball games but that isn't stopping a bunch of ballplayers from trying to steal his appointment as Mr. October. Sure he was the first and it is unlikely that anyone will try to steal that name but a bunch of players are already making bids to at least get into that conversation.

Just like a lot of the big sports, it seems like the best part of the playoffs are the first few rounds. There are more teams involved, more games a day and for some reason the way the games are played seem far different then that of a regular season game.

The pendants will tell you that the playoffs are a whole new beast and the games changes. This seems to be even more true in baseball. Watch a game in early May and compare that to the feeling you have when watching a game in September the feeling is night and day. It is no longer about an inning that can change a game, not a hit or a stolen base but there are many time in a game that you can feel the momentum shift on a single pitch. There are many people who find baseball to be a slow game but it is probably one of the most cerebral sports that require exceptional athletic ability. A high fastball inside may be a ball and to the casual observer a bad pitch, but that one "bad pitch" may be the difference when setting up a hitter for your 'out pitch' by changing his eye level or his timing. That one little thing seems to hold more weight on how a situation ends and by extension helps decide a games outcome.

It is a weird feeling when watching a game and knowing that even the appearance of a blowout gives no real guarantee that the game is over. A quick run in one inning can change the tides and momentum can shift and just like that a game that is all but over and a team left for dead gets its second wind slowly manages to get up off the mat and begin to chip away at a deficit and claw their way all the way back.

The St. Louis Cardinals did that in the NL Divisional Series vs the Washington Nationals and for those who got to see it was treated to one heck of a ballgame. The Giants of San Francisco did it in another way...by clawing back not in just a ballgame but in a series and erasing a 2-0 deficit and managing to win the next 3 on the road to take out the Central Division Champs Cincinnati Reds. The American League was not outdone and supplied their own level of exciting games. Both series went to 5 games and both were compelling from start to finish.

If the League Championship Series are near as impressive and exciting as those that have already been played baseball fans will be treated to some great ballgames and hopefully bring in some of the casual fans that may be looking for something to fill the void that the Locked Out NHL has made and the time in-between NFL games. It is sure worth the effort. Enjoy the post season and everything that comes with it.

Playoff Ticket Punched!

In The Immortal Words of Billy Zane: 

It's a walk-off! 

Chipper Jones gets to finish his career the way he and his teams was used to doing-
Going to the playoffs!

One year after a gut wrenching September collapse, that only a Red Sox collapse was able to cover up for the most part the Braves clinched a spot in this year's post season and can at least get the team ready for the one game playoff that comes with the wild card spot and/or make a run to try and catch the Nationals for tops in the NL East, but that is very unlikely. Freddie Freeman's two-run walk-off home run allowed the Braves to win yet another Kris Medlen start while punching their playoff ticket with a 4-3 win over the Marlins at Turner Field on Tuesday night. With Chipper Jones on 3rd Freeeman crushed the Mike Dunn pitch right back dead center right over the 400ft marker in center field.

With the comeback, the Braves won the 22nd consecutive game started by Medlen. As I recently posted the run that the Braves are on when Medlen takes the ball to start a game is just amazing and just goes to show that you need solid combination of luck and skill. Who knows how long the run will last but for now it is pretty amazing.

Robbie Alomar- Fact or Fiction?

I am sure that many sport and Blue Jays fans are familiar with former second baseman, and Hall of Fame member Robbie Alomar. He was a great player for the Jays and also for many other teams including the Orioles and the Indians.

Alomar was known as being a versatile player with a solid bat, good speed and spectacular range and defensive prowess. He was what every team would love to have at the top of a lineup and up the middle. He hit for average, had some power at the plate and could turn a double play as well as just about any other player to ever play his position. A truly deserving inductee to the Baseball Hall of Fame and a key member to the Blue Jays World Series Championship teams. He can be put right up there as one of the best second basemen of all time with the tools he had in his prime.

All of this is common knowledge and known by most, that is far from the interesting part. I am sure that both sports fans and regular people are at least familiar with hearing that back in 1996 Alomar was involved in a spitting incident involving an umpire.  Alomar got into a heated argument over a called third strike with umpire John Hirschbeck and spat in his face. He defended himself by saying Hirschbeck had uttered a racial slur and that Hirschbeck had been bitter since one son had died of ALD and another had been recently diagnosed as well. Upon hearing this public disclosure of his private life, Hirschbeck had to be physically restrained from confronting Alomar in the players' locker room.

This is where the un-proven and never verified part comes into play, and is part of a bigger part of the story that I had not heard before just a few days ago. Like I said before, I remember the story but never this version and now that it was mentioned it kind of makes sense and is a very interesting theory. This is all just alleged but is a somewhat plausible explanation. It was said that Alomar had heard a racial slur from Hirschbeck. Perhaps it was not a racial slur but maybe it was a sexual preference slur. If this was the case it would help validate the second part, the part that was a little more interesting.

Alomar joined the Mets in 2002 and it was in this time period that It was during this era that the "Mike Piazza is Gay" rumors began -- somewhat as a result of comments that Bobby Valentine made about Major League Baseball being ready to accept an openly gay athlete. This was a big deal at the time, so much so that it forced Piazza to hold a press conference to make a formal announcement with his model girlfriend saying he was not gay, that he was heterosexual. No active player has come out as being openly gay and to have to hold a press conference to state your orientation was big news. It was because of this that many still believe that Piazza is gay and he was just trying to get get ahead of a possible story. What was news to me was the possibility that Valentines comments were possibly made in regards to another prominent Met at the time...Robbie Alomar. He too had a prominent, beautiful, and famous girlfriend in tennis player Mary Pierce. Apparently there were whispers for years about Alomar's "preference" but it was Piazza who bore the brunt of all that crap at the time. Most people now have no issue with a persons personal preference, but in pro sports, especially team sports, there is still a stigma and an announcement of that nature would be a very difficult to do. There is also allegations of HIV and AIDS linked to Alomar (which do not help by any means either) and has been sued by a former girlfriend and his wife.


Weather or not any of this is true or not is up for debate, but because I had not heard this theory/story before I found it interesting that a lot of these pieces fit together and is at least plausible. It is up to the reader to decide what they want to believe. To many Alomar is and always be that Blue Jay who was a vacuum at 2nd to others he will be that Mets player who's skill almost disappeared overnight and was more of a train wreck then a ballplayer. It just makes it more interesting that it was his time in New York that all this happened and at the same time his play began to erode.

Time For An New/Old Approach To Pitchers

 It is interesting on how depleted the Toronto Blue Jays are due to injury. I outlined in my last post all about the position players, now for the pitchers. 

The pitching staff has been picked apart and has seen more then its fair share of adversity to say the least. Kyle Drabek 60-day DL, Jason Frasor 15-day DL, Drew Hutchison 60-day DL, Jesse Litsch 60-day DL, Dustin McGowan 60-day DL, Brandon Morrow 60-day DL, Luis Perez 60-day DL, Sergio Santos 60-day DL. Is this just bad luck or does it go deeper then that?

One possibility is that they have a secret referral deal with Dr, James Andrews in Alabama and are getting kickbacks for sending such a huge percentage of their staff for Tommy John Surgery. Another possibility is that the program at the minor league level and perhaps even at the major league level is in fact doing more harm then good. For the most part it seems like the majority of the issues stem from players who are younger and have spent time in the minors. If this continues, Alex Anthopoulos is going to have to take a serious look at the organizational plan that they use in developing young pitchers.

It seems like teams, because of signing bonuses, rush players along to get the most for their money. I is a little odd that a player can be making more money in A ball one year then someone playing in the majors at that same time. You do get rewarded for potential, and that is not necessarily a good thing. The minor leagues are there for the purpose of developing players in all positions. When a pitcher makes it to the majors they should be major league ready...completely ready. That includes a strong, refined, reliable arm that is fit to throw over 200 innings in a year. The Majors is not the place to develop that.

It is rushing pitchers in particular that has the Washington Nationals in the news right now because star pitcher Stephen Strasberg may be shut down at 180 innings. This is fine, except they are 1st in the NL East right now and how can you shut down your number 1 guy? Do you bring him back for the playoffs? These are questions that should not need to be asked. Oh, and Strasberg has already had Tommy John surgery.

I thinks that it may be more important to have pitchers throw more and not less. Starters throwing more in-between starts to strengthen their arms. Don't baby pitchers and have them on such a short leash. It is just common sens that a young persons arm will be stronger and more resilient then that of an older player. Use the benefit of youth to bring along pitchers quicker by making them stronger and allowing them to grow by throwing more often. Look at what the Yankee's did with the "Joba rules" and limited pitches and innings and outings. What did that do? Exactly what it was set up to avoid. Washington tried a similar thing with Stephen Strasburg and he required Tommy John as well. What about Matt Clement, Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. That had all the makings of a dynasty rotation but was instead ravaged by injury.

Make pitchers pitch in the minors, and pitch deep into games. Teach a pitcher early that the goal is to pitch 8 solid innings each start is the goal, not 5 1/3 innings and then going to the bullpen for a lefty-lefty match-up. More throwing, more often, and deep into games. They used to do that in the mid 1900's. Players are bigger and stronger and better conditioned now. There is better medical treatment now. There is more knowledge about good mechanics to save arms...use them. If guys could do what they did in the 40's, 50's, and 60's shouldn't the "super athletes" of today be better equipped and be able to handle even more? One would think so. Teach the pitchers to throw a good slider and/or develop a cutter and not throw as many curve balls is a good option as well. The curve balls are know to put even more added stress on the elbow then the average pitch. All these young kids are far better suited to learn those pitches and develop control and then, when more mature, learn and develop the curve more at the higher pro level. If you already have the strong arm it is better equipped to handle the strain of the high torq a curve requires.

Sure there is no sure way to avoid injury and every players is different. On the whole a new plan may not be a bad idea. When you hear about Dr. James Andrews more then a teams prospects you know there is a problem. The name of an orthopedic surgeon should not be the name most affiliated with your sport. With the amount of work he seems to be getting from baseball It is like he is the hot dog vendor on the Simpsons when Marge wonders why he follows Homer around everywhere and he responds "Lady, he's putting my kids through college!"

Blue Jays Bit By Injury Bug

Injuries are a part of baseball, everyone knows that. How can it not be? They play 162 games a year sometimes 2 in one day. Injuries are just a fact of the game (unless you are Cal Ripkin Jr. or Lou Gherig).

For whatever reason the Toronto Blue Jays have seem to take this inevitability to the next level. Sure, my Atlanta Braves have taken a big hit this year as well and lost some key cogs and big arms but thankfully had some good prospects in the minors to help plug the hols and keep the boat afloat. When it comes to the Blue Jays it feels like they have gone above and beyond the call and taken on a couple of teams share of guys on the DL.

In a year when it looked like they could overachieve and maybe make a run at the new extra wild card position and Boston having a lot of trouble the door looked wide open and then they started to drop like flies. When you are looking at a lineup that has David Cooper, Moises Sierra , Adeiny Hechavarria, Yan Gomes, and Anthony Gose at any given time you know you are in trouble. When you are missing bats like Brett Lawrie, Adam Lind, JP Arencibia and Jose Bautista...those are some pretty big shoes to fill and leaves the players still in the lineup exposed and far less protected.

This is just the position players. I have not mentioned the pitchers. The starters have been dropping like sacks of wet cement. For now I am going to leave that alone and do a blog dedicated to that subject and offer my opinion on why this is such a problem and maybe a possible solution going forward, so expect that in the near future. It may be enlightening to some, common knowledge to others or outright dismissed (hopefully that is not the case though).

In the mean time Go Toronto 51's...errr Blue Jays!! Use this as a tool to develop your youth and get the most out of them so when you get healthy you have young players with some experience or at least some trade bait to put you over the top. Maybe take that step to get back to the playoffs sometime soon 1993 was a long time ago.

The Sounds of Baseball - Can You Feel It?

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America is ruled by it like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again. Oh, people will come, Ray. People will come most definitely come."
--James Earl Jones,
from Field of Dreams (1989)

Baseball is America’s pass time. Sure, through the years and the growth of technology it has had a more difficult time staying on top of the cultural landscape but to those who have either been in the bridge period and have experienced both the electronic age and the days where it was not uncommon to only get 1 game a week on TV or only be able to enjoy baseball games on the radio using the skill of the broadcaster and your own imagination to really appreciate how special the game is. It is a game with distinctive sounds that is en grained in us. Whether it is from the voices on the radio like the icons from the past like Ernie Harwell, Jack Buck, Mel Allen, Harry Caray, Red Barber and Vin Scully. Baseball just seems to have its own personality and also be home of great personalities.

"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving infant’s life, she will choose to save the infant’s life without even considering if there is a man on base."
– Dave Barry

I recall the sounds of the game while listening to Blue Jays Baseball with Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth on the radio. At the time it was the main source of play by play that you could get. Jays games were covered well on radio and were available. You were lucky if CTV had a Sunday and maybe a Wednesday game on, but that was VERY RARE. There was usually a game of the week but unless you were a Yankee’s fan that was all you were going to get. It was regional games and that was your region.

I then got cable and that was the beginning of more exposure. More exposure and more games led to more variety. It was then that I began to embrace America’s team as my own and they quickly became my favorite team. These were the Atlanta Braves. It was the TBS Superstation that had a big part to play in this. It was a team that had its own network and was shown all over and had just about every game (granted the 14 consecutive division titles didn’t hurt either). They employed 4 of the classic voices that I now associate with baseball. The late Skip Carey, Pete Van Wieren, Joe Simpson and Don Sutton.

For me it always comes down to the sounds, the sounds of the game and the music that is associated with it. It is strange how a few chimes of music can take you back to a simpler time, a time when the most important thing was turning a double play or getting that timely. The Atlanta Braves Tomahawk Chop, and various ‘pump up the crowd organ music. The theme music when certain players enter (eg. Chipper Jones and Crazy Train or Mariano Rivera and Enter Sandman). Perhaps even to a lesser extent OK, Blue Jays. The intro to Blue Jays Baseball, The MLB Theme from FOX, the Sunday Night Baseball Theme from ESPN and the one that takes me back to when I was just a kid the theme music from TWIB (This Week In Baseball), that still sometimes gives me goose-bumps. Oh, and let us not forget the most famous of them all... ‘Take Me Out To The Ballgame’.

"Why does everybody stand up and sing ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ when they’re already there?"
--Larry Andersen

Even music from baseball movies have a special feeling to them and their ties to the game. The music from The Natural-when Roy Hobbs hits that epic home run. Just about every 3rd scene from Field of Dreams. It seemed that even the background music from that move made you "feel baseball". Even hearing ‘Wild Thing’ and seeing Charlie Sheen with those skull black glasses.

"Baseball statistics are like a girl in a bikini. They show a lot, but not everything."
-- Toby Harrah

In a game that is more a game then a sport it has captivated fans and has survived the test of time. Sure there has been many a dark day but they always seem to get through it. The 1919 Black Sox scandal, the exclusion of negro players and how long it took for those ballplayers to not only get to play but actually get a fair shake. Now, more then anytime before the cloud over the game has cast a very ugly shadow. Steroids, Amphetamines , HGH, PEDS have tainted the purity of the game and it is just now looking to be getting clean or cleaner the cheats are always a few steps ahead of the good guys.

Just remember:
"A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz."
-- Humphrey Bogart

Opening Day - PLAY BALL!!

After last nights comeback win by the Boston Red Sox over the Evil Empire aka The New York Yankees in the Play-in game they have now a stranglehold of the American League East. All the other teams are in the rear view mirror. All the other teams in the league are all on even footing, at least in terms of their record. Projections and reality might differ but this is the time of the season that just about all is square and everyone still has a shot...yes even the Pirates and Jays.

After another Spring Training has come and gone and another off season of free agents and trades have been completed. It is time to see what all teams have done to make themselves better and be contenders come September and October. It is always fun at this time to see who comes out hot, who is the sleeper guy nobody thought would be as good as he is and what new rookie or prospect is going to break through and become the next big one. (As a Braves fan I hope Jason Heyward is that guy).

With last nights first pitch and today’s matinee games we can now officially consider it to be spring and sunny summer days at the ballpark are only a few months away!

History Made - PVR That Home Run!

Last Thursday Major League Baseball began a new venture into the realm of technology....the use of "limited" replay.
Last night was the first time that replay was actually used to uphold a decision on the field of a home run by, and fittingly so Alex Rodriguez. The "Lightening Rod" hit his 549th homer putting him into 12 place all time passing Mike Schmidt. The ball was a towering shot that was hit above the fair/foul pole. The umpires gathered, left the field to review the video, a process that took 2 minutes, 15 seconds and upheld the call.
As for most sports they have already adopted such a system and have had it in place for some time now. Even the CFL had it first, which is a little embarrassing. nevertheless MLB has it at their disposal but only for disputed home runs and only at the decression of the umpiring crew chief, unlike the NFL there are no challenges.
In fitting MLB fashion they screwed up but implementing this 3/4 of the way through the season with no testing but here were are and lets go from here.
It is an interesting venture and one that is a good idea in theory, but then again Communism works in theory too.
Home Run calls are one thing, however there are other plays that may be just as important that are unreviewable. The one thing about baseball is that 1 small seemingly unimportant play sets off a chain of events that dictates how the situation will become resolved, more so then any other sport, it really is all about the flow of a play until its completion.
This is why C.C. Sabathia’s potential no hitter could not, and should not have been overturned. Yes it was a bad call to call that play a hit and not an error but you can’t reverse it now if you wanted to. Based on that 1 hit being on the board would have not only changed the mindset of the pitcher, his approach to the rest of the game, the increasing drama and stress and how the team played behind him. Just like the home run debate 1 call changed the outcome of that entire game.
Surely in the future it will be tweaked and more will become reviewable, I just hope they know when to say when and draw the line.
In a sport like baseball you can’t take the element of human error out of the game, it is part of the fabric of the sport and one of the reasons the game is great.