^
Oh, that wacky Charlie Sheen. Seems the man who is down to his last Two and a Half Brain Cells has told Sports Illustrated that he took steroids when he was filming "Major League" for his role as Wild Thing Vaughn.
He said the drugs, which he used "for like six or eight weeks," added 6 mph to his fastball.
Now what are we supposed to do with this information?
Use it as proof that if six weeks of steroids could give Sheen an 85 mph fastball, six years (or more) of steroids must have been pretty effective for Roger Clemens and other big-league pitchers?
Dismiss his claim as the ramblings of a narcissistic loon?
Give Sheen a call to determine if he is willing to go back on 'roids and become the Cardinals' closer?
^
Showing posts with label Indians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indians. Show all posts
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Spending money and playing ball in Carolina
^
The economy bites. Don't blame the Nadels.
We knew that when we moved to Charlotte, with its lousy public-transportation system, we eventually would need a second car because Roberta wouldn't be able to walk to work after we bought a house.
Due to our unfortunate Christmas Eve accident that totaled our Prius, we first had to buy a first car, which we did Jan. 1. We then closed on our house in suburban Matthews and, while it was being painted but before we moved in, we bought another car.
Which means that so far in 2011, we have bought a house, a new car and a late-model car. This, of course, is in addition to all the stuff one must buy and services one must use -- including the plumber who had to unclog the kitchen sink on our third day in the house -- when one moves into a different dwelling.
Yep, once upon a time, we actually used to save money. But what fun is that?
---
One non-house, non-vehicle purchase I had to make: a pair of cleats for my new gig as assistant softball coach at Charlotte Country Day School. We've had two practices to date and I have enjoyed getting to know the head coach and the girls, who are very different from the 7th grade basketball players I coached at the same school.
The coach is Eric Johnson, a former baseball/football star at Western Carolina who was a high draft pick of the Cleveland Indians and spent five years in the minors. He also was on the Bears' practice squad for two seasons. In addition to being an amazing athlete -- as you might imagine -- he's a knowledgeable coach and a good guy who is dedicated to helping these girls have success and fun.
This whole move to Carolina was supposed to be about experiencing different things and meeting new people, and that's just exactly what I've done.
I'm one lucky guy. A little poorer financially, but lucky nonetheless.
^
The economy bites. Don't blame the Nadels.
We knew that when we moved to Charlotte, with its lousy public-transportation system, we eventually would need a second car because Roberta wouldn't be able to walk to work after we bought a house.
Due to our unfortunate Christmas Eve accident that totaled our Prius, we first had to buy a first car, which we did Jan. 1. We then closed on our house in suburban Matthews and, while it was being painted but before we moved in, we bought another car.
Which means that so far in 2011, we have bought a house, a new car and a late-model car. This, of course, is in addition to all the stuff one must buy and services one must use -- including the plumber who had to unclog the kitchen sink on our third day in the house -- when one moves into a different dwelling.
Yep, once upon a time, we actually used to save money. But what fun is that?
---
One non-house, non-vehicle purchase I had to make: a pair of cleats for my new gig as assistant softball coach at Charlotte Country Day School. We've had two practices to date and I have enjoyed getting to know the head coach and the girls, who are very different from the 7th grade basketball players I coached at the same school.
The coach is Eric Johnson, a former baseball/football star at Western Carolina who was a high draft pick of the Cleveland Indians and spent five years in the minors. He also was on the Bears' practice squad for two seasons. In addition to being an amazing athlete -- as you might imagine -- he's a knowledgeable coach and a good guy who is dedicated to helping these girls have success and fun.
This whole move to Carolina was supposed to be about experiencing different things and meeting new people, and that's just exactly what I've done.
I'm one lucky guy. A little poorer financially, but lucky nonetheless.
^
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Hall call was worth the wait for Blyleven, Alomar
^
As a Baseball Hall of Fame voter, I'm often asked how it's possible that a BBWAA member fails to vote for a guy one year but then changes his/her mind 12 months later. After all, the perfectly sane argument goes, the player's stats didn't change during those 52 weeks.
The newest enshrinees announced Wednesday, Bert Blyleven and Robbie Alomar, exemplify why it happens ... and demonstrate that it even makes some sense.
This was Blyleven's 14th year on the ballot, meaning he'd have had only one more try after this one. I didn't vote for him his first 10 years but became a convert four years ago. For the longest time, I had trouble reconciling the fact that if the likes of Jim Kaat and Tommy John weren't in, why should Blyleven? The three had similar stats and similar impact on teams.
Over time, however, several fellow voters made reasonable cases for Blyleven, and I finally saw their points. They emphasized his strikeouts, complete games and two World Series rings, as well as the relative weakness of many of the teams on which he played. And they correctly said that just because Kaat and John didn't get the votes, that was no reason to take it out on Blyleven.
I am not the least bit ashamed that it took me 10 years to come around. Justice was served in the end. (And not David Justice ... he ain't getting in!)
Alomar was the best second baseman I ever saw and, for more than a decade, one of the great offensive catalysts in the game. I enthusiastically voted for him last year, his first on the ballot.
Several of my BBWAA colleagues who shunned him last year checked the box next to his name this time - and I have absolutely no problem with that. Keeping Alomar from being a first-ballot Hall of Famer was perfectly fitting punishment for a jerk who spat on an umpire.
As for other Hall tidbits ...
++ The only other player to earn my check mark this year, Jack Morris, got 53.5 percent of the vote - far short of the 75 percent every Hall of Famer needs. I fully respect the fact that Morris is a borderline case, a big-game pitcher with an excellent winning percentage who excelled for a decade but lacked an eye-popping win total and ERA.
++ The only other guys I seriously considered this time were Barry Larkin and Tim Raines. Maybe I'll change my mind about one or the other someday. Or maybe not.
++ Mercy! Harold Baines finally fell 2 votes shy of remaining on the ballot for future years. He simply isn't a Hall of Famer, despite the arguments on his behalf by my SouthtownStar buddy Phil Arvia.
++ Jeff Bagwell, Alan Trammell, Larry Walker, Dave Parker, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy were all very good players for a very long time but it's unlikely that any will make the Hall. That shows how difficult it is to get in - which, of course, it should be.
++ Mark McLiar actually lost support from last year to this. Good. He did one thing well ... and did that well only because he made a pin cushion out of his buttocks for years and years. One-dimensional idiots do not belong in the Hall of Fame.
++ I can understand why some of my peers voted for Rafael Palmeiro, who had very good stats over the years (but was a juicer who rarely helped his teams succeed). That 30 of them voted for Juan Gonzalez, a steroid-swilling clown whose numbers relative to his era were unimpressive, is more of a head-scratcher.
++ Two voters checked the box next to B.J. Surhoff's name, one gave Bret Boone a vote and another chose Benito Santiago. Something there helps explain why both Dubya and Blago each got elected to major executive offices ... twice!
^
As a Baseball Hall of Fame voter, I'm often asked how it's possible that a BBWAA member fails to vote for a guy one year but then changes his/her mind 12 months later. After all, the perfectly sane argument goes, the player's stats didn't change during those 52 weeks.
The newest enshrinees announced Wednesday, Bert Blyleven and Robbie Alomar, exemplify why it happens ... and demonstrate that it even makes some sense.
This was Blyleven's 14th year on the ballot, meaning he'd have had only one more try after this one. I didn't vote for him his first 10 years but became a convert four years ago. For the longest time, I had trouble reconciling the fact that if the likes of Jim Kaat and Tommy John weren't in, why should Blyleven? The three had similar stats and similar impact on teams.
Over time, however, several fellow voters made reasonable cases for Blyleven, and I finally saw their points. They emphasized his strikeouts, complete games and two World Series rings, as well as the relative weakness of many of the teams on which he played. And they correctly said that just because Kaat and John didn't get the votes, that was no reason to take it out on Blyleven.
I am not the least bit ashamed that it took me 10 years to come around. Justice was served in the end. (And not David Justice ... he ain't getting in!)
Alomar was the best second baseman I ever saw and, for more than a decade, one of the great offensive catalysts in the game. I enthusiastically voted for him last year, his first on the ballot.
Several of my BBWAA colleagues who shunned him last year checked the box next to his name this time - and I have absolutely no problem with that. Keeping Alomar from being a first-ballot Hall of Famer was perfectly fitting punishment for a jerk who spat on an umpire.
As for other Hall tidbits ...
++ The only other player to earn my check mark this year, Jack Morris, got 53.5 percent of the vote - far short of the 75 percent every Hall of Famer needs. I fully respect the fact that Morris is a borderline case, a big-game pitcher with an excellent winning percentage who excelled for a decade but lacked an eye-popping win total and ERA.
++ The only other guys I seriously considered this time were Barry Larkin and Tim Raines. Maybe I'll change my mind about one or the other someday. Or maybe not.
++ Mercy! Harold Baines finally fell 2 votes shy of remaining on the ballot for future years. He simply isn't a Hall of Famer, despite the arguments on his behalf by my SouthtownStar buddy Phil Arvia.
++ Jeff Bagwell, Alan Trammell, Larry Walker, Dave Parker, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy were all very good players for a very long time but it's unlikely that any will make the Hall. That shows how difficult it is to get in - which, of course, it should be.
++ Mark McLiar actually lost support from last year to this. Good. He did one thing well ... and did that well only because he made a pin cushion out of his buttocks for years and years. One-dimensional idiots do not belong in the Hall of Fame.
++ I can understand why some of my peers voted for Rafael Palmeiro, who had very good stats over the years (but was a juicer who rarely helped his teams succeed). That 30 of them voted for Juan Gonzalez, a steroid-swilling clown whose numbers relative to his era were unimpressive, is more of a head-scratcher.
++ Two voters checked the box next to B.J. Surhoff's name, one gave Bret Boone a vote and another chose Benito Santiago. Something there helps explain why both Dubya and Blago each got elected to major executive offices ... twice!
^
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Today's High 5
^
1. Since taking over the Orioles, Buck Showalter is 5-1 with a lineup that includes Corey Patterson and Felix Pie.
Talk about already staking a claim for Manager of the Year!
2. I covered Saturday's Cubs-Reds game and watched some of the other two games this weekend, and I couldn't believe how completely Dusty Baker outmanaged Lou Piniella. Really.
Here's hoping nobody wakes up Lou and tells him.
3. The Cubs lost 7 straight, beat Milwaukee 15-3 and followed up by scoring in 3 out of 27 innings against the Reds.
Can you say, "Mailing it in?" I knew you could.
4. It would be poetic if Jim Thome turned out to be the difference in the AL Central race.
5. "Shooting 18-over par is not fun," Tiger Woods says.
I don't know what he's talking about. I shot 18 over just the other day and had a great time.
1. Since taking over the Orioles, Buck Showalter is 5-1 with a lineup that includes Corey Patterson and Felix Pie.
Talk about already staking a claim for Manager of the Year!
2. I covered Saturday's Cubs-Reds game and watched some of the other two games this weekend, and I couldn't believe how completely Dusty Baker outmanaged Lou Piniella. Really.
Here's hoping nobody wakes up Lou and tells him.
3. The Cubs lost 7 straight, beat Milwaukee 15-3 and followed up by scoring in 3 out of 27 innings against the Reds.
Can you say, "Mailing it in?" I knew you could.
4. It would be poetic if Jim Thome turned out to be the difference in the AL Central race.
5. "Shooting 18-over par is not fun," Tiger Woods says.
I don't know what he's talking about. I shot 18 over just the other day and had a great time.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Interesting moves by Cards, Sox and Cubs
^
The one person who shouldn't complain about the departure of Albert Pujols' longtime sidekick Ryan Ludwick is ... Albert Pujols. The main reason the Cardinals traded Ludwick for semi-OK pitcher Jake Westbrook is that they are trying to clear salary so they can give Pujols one of the richest contracts in baseball history.
The Cardinals needed more hitting, not less. Still, it wasn't the worst strategy to offset their low-scoring offense by acquiring another arm. Westbrook does have talent. A move to the NL - and to a staff overseen by Dave Duncan - could prove to be most fruitful.
That trade is easier to figure out than the White Sox dealing prospect Daniel Hudson for mediocre Edwin Jackson. I don't blame Kenny Williams for refusing to mortgage the future to go after a one-and-done slugger such as Adam Dunn, though.
As for the Cubs dealing Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers in a classic salary-dump move that brought Blake DeWitt in return ... that's fine as long as Tom Ricketts uses the money saved next offseason. DeWitt is a left-handed, 5-years-younger version of Theriot. And if the Cubs want to bring Lilly back next season, they'll be able to.
On a personal note, I liked Lilly and Theriot. Lose or lose, those two always were available to the media after games to take the heat when many of their teammates would run and hide.
Theriot and I used to live in the same neighborhood about a mile from Wrigley, and when I asked him just a couple months ago about the house he bought, he said: "Oh, we haven't bought. We're renting." Good decision, it turns out.
Lilly ... well ... I'll never forget the way he threw his glove after Arizona's Chris Young took him deep in Game 2 of the 2007 playoffs. Talk about one moment that captured the very essence of all things Cub - truly a Cubbie instant classic!
Oh, and good for new Yankee Kerry Wood, too. Paychecks aside, the guy has known mostly baseball heartbreak. Now he's on the best team in the world.
The one person who shouldn't complain about the departure of Albert Pujols' longtime sidekick Ryan Ludwick is ... Albert Pujols. The main reason the Cardinals traded Ludwick for semi-OK pitcher Jake Westbrook is that they are trying to clear salary so they can give Pujols one of the richest contracts in baseball history.
The Cardinals needed more hitting, not less. Still, it wasn't the worst strategy to offset their low-scoring offense by acquiring another arm. Westbrook does have talent. A move to the NL - and to a staff overseen by Dave Duncan - could prove to be most fruitful.
That trade is easier to figure out than the White Sox dealing prospect Daniel Hudson for mediocre Edwin Jackson. I don't blame Kenny Williams for refusing to mortgage the future to go after a one-and-done slugger such as Adam Dunn, though.
As for the Cubs dealing Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers in a classic salary-dump move that brought Blake DeWitt in return ... that's fine as long as Tom Ricketts uses the money saved next offseason. DeWitt is a left-handed, 5-years-younger version of Theriot. And if the Cubs want to bring Lilly back next season, they'll be able to.
On a personal note, I liked Lilly and Theriot. Lose or lose, those two always were available to the media after games to take the heat when many of their teammates would run and hide.
Theriot and I used to live in the same neighborhood about a mile from Wrigley, and when I asked him just a couple months ago about the house he bought, he said: "Oh, we haven't bought. We're renting." Good decision, it turns out.
Lilly ... well ... I'll never forget the way he threw his glove after Arizona's Chris Young took him deep in Game 2 of the 2007 playoffs. Talk about one moment that captured the very essence of all things Cub - truly a Cubbie instant classic!
Oh, and good for new Yankee Kerry Wood, too. Paychecks aside, the guy has known mostly baseball heartbreak. Now he's on the best team in the world.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Another Chicago sports day from hell
^
The Cubs were helpless against a pitcher who had been 0-7 this season, losing 3-1 to the awful Astros.
The White Sox were hapless against a pitcher who had been 0-11 since last August, getting humiliated 10-1 by the inept Indians.
The suddenly vulnerable Blackhawks fell behind big, lost Game 4 to the Flyers and now the Stanley Cup Finals stand tied at 2-apiece.
But hey, at least LeBron is leading on Bulls fans, so it's all good.
The Cubs were helpless against a pitcher who had been 0-7 this season, losing 3-1 to the awful Astros.
The White Sox were hapless against a pitcher who had been 0-11 since last August, getting humiliated 10-1 by the inept Indians.
The suddenly vulnerable Blackhawks fell behind big, lost Game 4 to the Flyers and now the Stanley Cup Finals stand tied at 2-apiece.
But hey, at least LeBron is leading on Bulls fans, so it's all good.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Cubs appreciate losing Blackhawks, raining Pittsburgh
^
Wednesday sure was a nice night for sports ...
Nice of the Blackhawks to lose to the Flyers, guaranteeing an extended Stanley Cup Finals and keeping the Cubs and White Sox off the front pages of the Chicago newspapers for a little while longer.
Nice of Ken Griffey Jr. to wake up long enough to announce his retirement.
Nice of it to rain in Pittsburgh, preventing all those Pirates fans - like, 2,000 of them! - from celebrating yet another win over the Cubbies.
Nice of Jim Joyce to admit perhaps the biggest umpiring gaffe since Don Denkinger's 1985 all-timer: "I just cost the kid a perfect game."
Nice of Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga to provide the perfectly classy quote about Joyce's screw-up: "He probably feels more bad than me. Nobody's perfect. Everybody's human. I understand."
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Gotta love Lou
One of the real fun things about being in Cubs camp is that I'm getting my fill of Lou-isms early.
New outfielder Xavier Nady? To Lou, he's "Nagy" - apparently related to former Indians hurler Charles.
Cubbie pitchers don't throw simulated games. To Lou, they're "assimilated" games.
Every other sentence begins with "Look ... " At least once a day, he sets up a thought with the word "Invariably ... "
Gotta love the guy.
On another note, my latest AP story was about fatty-turned-twiggy catcher Geo Soto. CHECK IT OUT.
New outfielder Xavier Nady? To Lou, he's "Nagy" - apparently related to former Indians hurler Charles.
Cubbie pitchers don't throw simulated games. To Lou, they're "assimilated" games.
Every other sentence begins with "Look ... " At least once a day, he sets up a thought with the word "Invariably ... "
Gotta love the guy.
On another note, my latest AP story was about fatty-turned-twiggy catcher Geo Soto. CHECK IT OUT.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Mark Reynolds: King of Swing (& Miss)
^
I'm a big fan of baseball's fantastic fanner.
For years, whenever a ballplayer would get near a dubious record - most strikeouts, most losses, most cork in the bat - either he, his manager or both would decide the player had developed a severe case of Wuss-itis and he would take a seat on the bench for the rest of the season.
Mustn't set a negative record that would scar the poor baby for life, right?
Well, Mark Reynolds has realized what most intelligent observers have known for years: a strikeout is just another out.
Reynolds, the Diamondbacks'sensational slugger, actually seems to embrace the notion that he is today's King of Swing (& Miss).
Reynolds fanned four more times Wednesday, giving him 200 for the second straight year. In 2008, he became the first ever to reach that mark, finishing with 204. He'll leave that number in the dust in 2009.
And you know what? Every manager in baseball would love to have a third baseman who just turned 26 and hits for power (42 HR), gets on base (.363 OBP), drives in runs (97 RBI), gets extra-base hits (.571 SLG), steals bases (24) and has a decent batting average (.272).
Reynolds even is a good enough athlete that he could play another position if a team had somebody else to play third.
Were Arizona a contender, Reynolds would be one of the favorites to finish second in the MVP race to Albert Pujols, who has had the award locked up since mid-April.
Yes, the kid fans a lot. As did Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Sammy Sosa, Jim Thome, Willie Stargell, Bobby Bonds, Mike Schmidt and numerous other all-time greats.
Striking out is better than hitting into a double play. And Mark Reynolds is better than most power hitters (and most third baseman) out there.
I'm a big fan of baseball's fantastic fanner.
For years, whenever a ballplayer would get near a dubious record - most strikeouts, most losses, most cork in the bat - either he, his manager or both would decide the player had developed a severe case of Wuss-itis and he would take a seat on the bench for the rest of the season.
Mustn't set a negative record that would scar the poor baby for life, right?
Well, Mark Reynolds has realized what most intelligent observers have known for years: a strikeout is just another out.
Reynolds, the Diamondbacks'sensational slugger, actually seems to embrace the notion that he is today's King of Swing (& Miss).
Reynolds fanned four more times Wednesday, giving him 200 for the second straight year. In 2008, he became the first ever to reach that mark, finishing with 204. He'll leave that number in the dust in 2009.
And you know what? Every manager in baseball would love to have a third baseman who just turned 26 and hits for power (42 HR), gets on base (.363 OBP), drives in runs (97 RBI), gets extra-base hits (.571 SLG), steals bases (24) and has a decent batting average (.272).
Reynolds even is a good enough athlete that he could play another position if a team had somebody else to play third.
Were Arizona a contender, Reynolds would be one of the favorites to finish second in the MVP race to Albert Pujols, who has had the award locked up since mid-April.
Yes, the kid fans a lot. As did Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Sammy Sosa, Jim Thome, Willie Stargell, Bobby Bonds, Mike Schmidt and numerous other all-time greats.
Striking out is better than hitting into a double play. And Mark Reynolds is better than most power hitters (and most third baseman) out there.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
This Jason is slashing victim (at last)
^
The Bald Truth
If this is the end of the line for Jason Giambi - and if there is a baseball god, it is - what will you miss most?
A. His heartfelt non-apologies for turning his rump into a syringe-cushion.
B. His tats and porn-star 'stache.
C. His slick fielding prowess at first base.
D. His juice-fueled theft of the 2000 AL MVP award.
The Balder Truth
Yankees? No problem.
Angels? No problem.
Indians? BIG PROBLEM, even with Mr. Perfect on the mound to oppose them.
If anybody out there has figured out the White Sox, please let me know the deal.
THE BALDEST TRUTH
I knew it wouldn't take long for Kyle Orton to hit his stride with the Broncos: Training camp has barely begun and Denver fans already are booing him.
What I really didn't expect, though, was for them to start chanting: "We want Rex!"
Friday, July 31, 2009
But what about the one guy who was supposed to get traded?
^
The White Sox get Jake Peavy, who just a couple months earlier - before his body was falling apart - rejected a trade to those same Pale Hose because he really wanted to play for Cubs.
The Reds, apparently under delusions that they are one player away from contention, deal for Scott Rolen.
The Yankees think Jerry Hairston Jr. is the missing piece of the championship puzzle.
The Mariners, trying hard to break up a decent team, unload Jarrod Washburn.
The Indians and Pirates dump pretty much everybody who makes more than the average stockboy.
Fun, fun, fun. But here's my absolute favorite part of all the trading-deadline wheeling, dealing, intrigue and speculation:
About 200 players change teams (or so it seems) and the one guy who stays put is ...
Roy Freakin' Halladay!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Big trade news from Halladay Land
^
The Bald Truth
Well, it finally happened, folks: the big trade that Toronto fans had been anticipating for weeks.
Yes, Roy Halladay ... is getting another superstar in his city!!
Welcome to Canada, new Raptor Marco Belinelli.
Labatts for everybody!
And to think, all the Raptors had to give the Warriors was Devean George and a Skydome suite from which to watch every game Halladay pitches for the Blue Jays next season.
The Quote
"I wish I could cuss right now." - Hawk Harrelson, after his beloved White Sox lost again to the Twins at the Humpty Dome.
The Balder Truth
Jerry Reinsdorf is buying the Phoenix Coyotes, and you know what that means:
From North Carolina ... at right wing ... No. 45 ... Michael Jordan!
The Quote II
"Yeah, everything surprises me." - Cubs rookie Randy Wells when asked if anything about his success as a big-league pitcher has surprised him.
THE BALDEST TRUTH
Congrats to the Phillies, who were able to get ace lefty Cliff Lee from the Indians without giving up any of the big-time prospects Toronto demanded in any Roy Halladay deal.
And congrats to the Indians, too. They have acquired so many youngsters for the likes of Lee, CC Sabathia and Mark DeRosa that they already are the overwhelming favorite to win the 2010 College World Series.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
White Sox: Perfectly momentum-resistant
^
The Bald Truth
Game 1: Tigers 5, White Sox 1
Game 2: Tigers 4, White Sox 3
So much for Perfection-Fueled momentum!
Stat of the Day
The White Sox are 15-5 in games started by Mark Buehrle, 35-42 in games started by the less-perfect members of their rotation.
Solution: Let Mr. Perfect start every game.
The Balder Truth
Attention, President Obama! Attention, Lou Piniella!
The guy who made The Perfect Catch is DeWayne Wise ... as in "Hey, youse wise guys!"
His name's not "Weiss." So stop calling him that!
Quote of the Day
"I guess if we're not scoring runs, then he hasta figure out a way to drive 'em in himself." - Reds manager Dusty Baker after Friday's starting pitcher, Aaron Harang, an .090 career batter, hit his first home run since high school in Cinci's loss to the Cubs.
THE BALDEST TRUTH
After crying poor despite their loyal fans filling their ballpark day after day, season after season, the Cardinals finally have gone on a shopping spree.
Matt Holliday has joined Julio Lugo and Mark DeRosa to surround Albert Pujols in the batting order. And in the first game with the new lineup, the Redbirds put an 8-spot on the Phillies.
Now, if only the Cards have a few pennies left over for Roy Halladay to join their rotation - and to give them a roster including both Halladay and Holliday. What a jolly holiday that would be, eh?
You know, spending billionaires' money is one of my favorite hobbies.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Give 'em 1 minute, they'll give you 2 L's
^
The Bald Truth
So I was watching Dennis Leary's Rescue Me with my wife when we put the show on pause to check out what was happening in Tuesday night's Chicago ballgames.
Within a 60-second span, Gordon Beckham grounded weakly to the pitcher with the tying run on base to end the White Sox's come-from-ahead loss to the Rays and The Great Jeff Samardzija served up Jayson Werth's 13th-inning homer to cap the Cubs' loss to the Phillies.
And then my wife and I switched back to Rescue Me, distracted only by the realization that our fine city is a mere three months away from yet another Cubs-Sox World Series.
Once Upon A Time
Hey, didn't Bobby Jenks used to be more than just another bad reliever with a goofy beard?
The Balder Truth
Now that they're 1-6 in games in which Mark DeRosa has played, the Cardinals must be trying to figure out what they need to do to get him back on the Cubs.
THE BALDEST TRUTH
Cool story by Yahoo! football writer Michael Silver, who tells of a phone conversation he had with Chad Ochounodostrescuatrocinco. Apparently, during a Lakers game last spring, the former Chad Johnson had a sit-down with Denzel Washington - who told Chad to stop being such a tool.
"He wasn't being gentle," C.O. told Silver. "He said, 'You know what? You need to straighten up and stop fussin' about something you have no control over. Make it fun again because it sure looks better when you do it that way.' That's all I needed to hear, especially from somebody like him."
By all means! After you're done getting real coaches fired, make sure you pay attention to a make-believe coach.
My sources tell me that Denzel's final words to C.O. were this:
"Oh, and remember the Titans!"
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Run, Roland, Run!
^
The Bald Truth
U.S. Sen. Roland Burris (D-Flimflammer) saying he won't run for re-election is like me saying I won't run in the Chicago Marathon.
Except I'd have a better chance of winning.
Hey, I've been working out!
The Quote I
"It's the same thing every year: You go through your bad stretch and it's full-on panic. There's better things to come for those guys. They're gonna get hot and stay hot. They have too much talent over there not to." - ex-Cubbie Kerry Wood, talking about his former club.
If memory serves, Wood's 2004 and 2005 Cubs also had too much talent.
The Balder Truth
If Clayton Richard makes another start for the White Sox, it will be one start too many. In fact, it's already been about eight starts too many.
Why are Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen so afraid to give Aaron Poreda the ball and let him do his thing?
Put him on a very tight pitch count, tell him to use extra ice after each start and read him a bedtime story every night ... but for cryin' out loud, put the kid in the rotation.
The Quote II
"I've been watching more TV at night. Just got done watching Rescue Me with Dennis Leary; that's really got me locked in." - Indians catcher Kelly Shoppach, after being asked what he was doing to try to get out of his season-long slump.
Great show, Rescue Me. It's another in a series of excellent FX series. Funnier than hell. But, I warn you, not for the kiddies. And that means you, Aaron Poreda!
THE BALDEST TRUTH
The Dallas Mavericks have assembled a new version of the Phoenix team that was never quite good enough to get to the NBA Finals.
Starring as Steve Nash is Jason Kidd, who is older than Nash and can't shoot.
Starring as Amare Stoudemire is Dirk Nowitzki, who is older than Amare and likes to hang out around the 3-point line.
And starring as Shawn Marion is the newest Mav, Shawn Marion, who is older than the old Marion and about 80 percent as effective.
Yes, Mark Cuban has built a Suns-ish team that is sure to go all the way ... to the second round.
If Dirk's hitting his 3's, anyway.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Prima + Donna = Ryan Braun
^
The Bald Truth
That Ryan Braun spoke the truth about the Brewers' pitching staff being inadequate is beside the point.
He proved himself a prima donna, a jerk and, mostly, a horrendous teammate.
It's also beside the point that he met with GM Doug Melvin on Tuesday and tried to take back everything he said: "I apologized if I offended anybody in the organization. I wasn't trying to call anybody out."
Oh, so when he blamed the pitching staff for the team losing three of four against the Cubs - when he said every Cubs starter was better than every Brewers starter - he was just trying to be constructive. He was just trying to prod Melvin into making a move, maybe bringing back CC Sabathia one more time or something.
I wonder how Braun would have reacted if any Milwaukee pitchers ever commented publicly about his atrocious defense in left field?
As for Melvin, he was pissed because Braun was disrespectful to people in the front office.
Really? What Braun did was far worse than taking a poke at Melvin and his minions. Braun ripped his own teammates - angrily and very publicly.
He all but said: "I'm great, they're not. I can win us the pennant. They're weighing me down."
Think about all the ballplayers who have been jerks this season: Manny, A-Roid, Milton, Magglio, Cra-Z and so on.
Have any of them shown their teammates less respect than Ryan Braun did?
Hey, at least the Brewers - a team too flawed to be taken seriously even in the horrid NL Central - have somebody who is No. 1 in one category.
The Balder Truth
True story: The Indians are beating the White Sox 3-1 in the sixth inning when Cleveland manager Eric Wedge goes to his bullpen. Before turning the channel to check what's going on in the Cubs-Braves game, I say to my wife and son:
"With those rag-arm relievers, the Sox will be leading 9-3 pretty soon."
We turned back to the Sox game just in time to see Paul Konerko's grand slam - his second of three HRs on the night - sail into the stands. An inning later, it was 10-3.
Nice pitching staff you've got there, Cleveland.
Ryan Braun can't even blame Kerry Wood for this one.
THE BALDEST TRUTH
Now that Michael Jackson has been eulogized, memorialized and laid to rest, can we please get on with something that matters?
You know, like Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch's proposed Justice Department probe into the BCS?
Because if there's one thing our federal government should be investing time and money in, it's that Utah didn't get a chance to play for the mythical national football title.
And some people wonder why our country is bankrupt.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Say it ain't so, DeRo!
^
Thanks for showing up, Cubbieland, but it's all over.
Not only have the Cubs been mired in muck for most of the season but now they will have to make do for the rest of 2009 knowing that the unthinkable has happened.
Three words: Mark ... DeRosa ... Cardinals.
Given the degree of angst in Cubbieland about life without DeRo, it's hard to imagine a team with Albert Pujols and Mark DeRosa ever losing another game.
OK, I'm having a little fun here at the expense of Cubbie fans, who after a rough decade or ten are getting a wee bit miffed at others having fun at their expense. Still, some of this does ring true.
With the fold-the-tent Indians sending DeRo to St. Loo, Jim Hendry's worst trade ever has come back to bite him squarely on his Cuboose.
But hey, somebody has to finish second (or third), right?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Ryno slams El Roido
^
The Bald Truth
I've not yet decided how I'll vote when Sammy Sosa's name appears on the Hall of Fame ballot in five years. Ryne Sandberg, who hopes to be the Cubs' manager by then, is giving me the punt sign.
That's right: Ryno is saying no-go to El Roido (a.k.a. El Corko).
"Part of being in the Hall of Fame, they use the word integrity in describing a Hall of Famer ... and I think there are gonna be quite a few players that are not gonna get in," Sandberg told a Chicago radio station Tuesday.
Yes, there is an integrity clause ... but it's tricky. Should spitballer Gaylord Perry have gotten in? What about selfish Reggie Jackson? Racist jerk Ty Cobb? Should I vote for Robbie Alomar, who spat in an umpire's face?
Ryno unquestionably is right about the last thing he said, though. No matter how I vote, I doubt the likes of Sosa, Mark McGwire, Gary Sheffield, Manny Ramirez and Rafael Palmeiro will get in.
There simply is too much sentiment against the cheaters. McGwire, the first of the eligible juicers, has gotten less love from BBWAA voters than Jon has lately from Kate (and vice versa).
Even Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are in doubt.
And I really don't like the Hall chances of Alex Sanchez and Felix Heredia, who must not have followed directions on their 'roid labels very well.
The Quote
"People love me everywhere I go." - Manny Ramirez
Especially people who sell syringes.
The Balder Truth
While talking to reporters before Tuesday's game, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen saw that the Dodgers' Juan Pierre was listening in.
Ozzie: "We're gonna play 10 guys in the infield. You're not bunting! I tell you, we're gonna have everybody in the middle."
Juan: "When I get a bunt base-hit, I'm gonna look right at you!"
Ozzie: "Two million dollars if you get a bunt base-hit on me!"
Thanks to a diving catch at third base by Gordon Beckham - robbing Pierre of a bunt hit in the eighth - Ozzie gets to keep his millions.
It was the only good news on this night for Guillen, whose impotent losers fizzled again at home.
A Hall of a Voter
Longtime loyal reader Doug Nicodemus asked why I have a Hall vote. Here's the deal:
Every 10-plus-year member of the Baseball Writers Association of America in good standing gets a ballot. Because I was in the BBWAA for 25 years before my newspaper company so generously set me free, I received lifetime membership - and lifetime Hall voting rights.
So I'm kind of like a Supreme Court justice, only more objective - and not quite as bald as Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
THE BALDEST TRUTH
It is absurd that MLB is letting Manny be Manny for a bunch of minor-league "rehab" games before his drug suspension ends.
Maybe they were just worried he wouldn't be able to make ends meet without that Triple-A meal money: 20 bucks a day.
The Bald Truth
I've not yet decided how I'll vote when Sammy Sosa's name appears on the Hall of Fame ballot in five years. Ryne Sandberg, who hopes to be the Cubs' manager by then, is giving me the punt sign.
That's right: Ryno is saying no-go to El Roido (a.k.a. El Corko).
"Part of being in the Hall of Fame, they use the word integrity in describing a Hall of Famer ... and I think there are gonna be quite a few players that are not gonna get in," Sandberg told a Chicago radio station Tuesday.
Yes, there is an integrity clause ... but it's tricky. Should spitballer Gaylord Perry have gotten in? What about selfish Reggie Jackson? Racist jerk Ty Cobb? Should I vote for Robbie Alomar, who spat in an umpire's face?
Ryno unquestionably is right about the last thing he said, though. No matter how I vote, I doubt the likes of Sosa, Mark McGwire, Gary Sheffield, Manny Ramirez and Rafael Palmeiro will get in.
There simply is too much sentiment against the cheaters. McGwire, the first of the eligible juicers, has gotten less love from BBWAA voters than Jon has lately from Kate (and vice versa).
Even Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are in doubt.
And I really don't like the Hall chances of Alex Sanchez and Felix Heredia, who must not have followed directions on their 'roid labels very well.
The Quote
"People love me everywhere I go." - Manny Ramirez
Especially people who sell syringes.
The Balder Truth
While talking to reporters before Tuesday's game, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen saw that the Dodgers' Juan Pierre was listening in.
Ozzie: "We're gonna play 10 guys in the infield. You're not bunting! I tell you, we're gonna have everybody in the middle."
Juan: "When I get a bunt base-hit, I'm gonna look right at you!"
Ozzie: "Two million dollars if you get a bunt base-hit on me!"
Thanks to a diving catch at third base by Gordon Beckham - robbing Pierre of a bunt hit in the eighth - Ozzie gets to keep his millions.
It was the only good news on this night for Guillen, whose impotent losers fizzled again at home.
A Hall of a Voter
Longtime loyal reader Doug Nicodemus asked why I have a Hall vote. Here's the deal:
Every 10-plus-year member of the Baseball Writers Association of America in good standing gets a ballot. Because I was in the BBWAA for 25 years before my newspaper company so generously set me free, I received lifetime membership - and lifetime Hall voting rights.
So I'm kind of like a Supreme Court justice, only more objective - and not quite as bald as Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
THE BALDEST TRUTH
It is absurd that MLB is letting Manny be Manny for a bunch of minor-league "rehab" games before his drug suspension ends.
Maybe they were just worried he wouldn't be able to make ends meet without that Triple-A meal money: 20 bucks a day.
Friday, June 19, 2009
D-Lee's no dis-Grace
^
Great fielder ... big reputation ... low-RBI middle-of-the-order guy ... warning-track power.
Gotta admit it: Up in the pressbox, I was starting to refer to Derrek Lee as "Mark Grace."
"Except," I'd say, "Grace batted .300 and didn't strike out much."
Then Lee got hot and started hitting home runs left and right. Clutch homers, too, including Friday's off Kerry Wood to tie it in the ninth to make yet another unlikely victory possible for the Comeback Cubbies.
Lee's a good guy who has been through a lot, including a serious wrist injury and his daughter's health issues. It's nice to see good things happening for him again.
Besides, I guess it's not exactly a slam to compare a hitter to Mark Grace ... even if Grace did only have warning-track power.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Of Dontrelle, CC, Gibson, Kid K and an expensive Blackhawks mistake
^
The Bald Truth
Nice to see Dontrelle Willis winning - and smiling - again.
When one of the sport's most charismatic and entertaining players is doing his thing, baseball is better for it.
Just Asking
Wow! Did you see the way the Cubs flailed away at those amazing pitches being thrown by the Cardinals' great Bob Gibson?
I don't care how many times you say that was Joel Pineiro. I'm saying it must have been Gibson.
The Balder Truth
Remember all that hand-wringing in New York over CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira?
Well, don't look now, but CC won again Tuesday and has a 3.43 ERA to go with his 4 wins - as many as White Sox season-opening No. 2, 3 and 4 starters Gavin Floyd, John Danks and Jose Contreras combined. And Teixeira has 11 HRs (2 more than the combined total of Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Geovany Soto) and 30 RBIs (more than the aggregate output of Soto, Milton Bradley, Reed Johnson and Aaron Miles).
Then again, the Yankees do have slightly higher standards than their Chicago counterparts.
The Stat Line
2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 HR, 1 BB, 0 K ... blown 5-2 lead in the 9th ... season: 1-2 record, 8.31 ERA.
Hmmm. Maybe the Cubs don't miss Kerry Wood after all.
THE BALDEST TRUTH
The Blackhawks have been such a feel-good story in Chicago this year, it's easy to overlook their shortcomings. Well, here's a big one: Brian Campbell.
They gave an 8-year, $56.8 million contract to the allegedly offensive-minded defenseman who, it turns out, rarely scores.
Campbell was trying to make something happen in OT Tuesday when he gave away the puck, fell down, watched helplessly as the Red Wings took off on a 3-on-1 break and basically handed Detroit a 2-0 lead in the series.
He turns 30 on Saturday. And did we mention he still has 7 years left on that contract?
As great as the season has been, not everything is perfect in Hawkeyland.
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