Baseball Rising

Written March 31

2008-03-31T11:23:00.006-09:00

It's back!

Oh freakin' finally, baseball is back. It's easy to tell I'm a baseball fan. I've made it easier at work by going from a hat that has this snake image but no words:

to this :

The first picture is the batting practice hat. Given the Dbacks haven't been around terribly long considering the age of major league baseball, I don't expect anyone to know that. The few people who have recognised it have been from Pheonix--which I am not.

Spring Training is over--which is awesome. I've explained the good and the bad of spring training to so many people I can't bare to even type it out--the gist of is it is if you're practicing on honing in on one thing, you can be indifferent to things like ERA or strike outs.

And now after the Japanese got to see our Past Time's opening day before us and the Braves lost to the Nationals, the rest of us are getting our games.

Unless you're a Yankee's fan--and if you are a big mighty "HAHA!" from me! The first of what I hope are many. Enjoy the rain delay programing. Today might be better.

Rain is causing chaos all around baseball. The Cubs and Brewers had their game stopped in the third, and my own Dbacks had the starting pitch knocked back an hour.

Speaking of my boys, I'm listening to my boys take it to the Reds in front of Cincinati. They have small lead but it's only the fifth inning. And this is baseball, afterall, and this is the Reds at home on Opening Day.

Its Never a Good Sign When the Score Could be for Football

2007-07-10T07:15:00.000-09:00

As the regular season clears the halfway mark with the celebrated All Star Game and most of the league gets a little break that must feel like a big break (162 regular season games, people!) when the season yields a day off after 10 straight games--and you don't have to spend the day traveling. Even as a fan, I don't mind the five days of non baseball.

Well, relative non baseball--there's the Homerun Derby (congrats Vlad!) and the actual All Star Game for those who made it.

But, I don't think any of that is any reason to overlook the White Sox - Twins game from July 6th that ended with a definite loss by the White Sox. It's usually not hard to say if a 7 run game is close, but when the final score is 20 to 14, it puts some rare perspective on a game because these kind of games are rare. The most runs ever scored (total) in an American League game: 36. The most runs ever scored in the history of the White Sox: 35.

Most days; you would be thrilled with an offense that can put up 14 runs in a single game. I think most pitchers would feel good about a game you could promise half those numbers. But, when you're off--you're off.

White Sox's pitcher John Garland's ERA absorbed 11 of the runs before leaving the game with 7 of them coming in quick via the long ball. The tired state of the bullpen coupled with the last game of their double header still to go had to have something to do with a prolonged outing that otherwise might never of happened. However, even with their offense doing what it could to get them back in the race, the bullpen still had 9 scored on them.

And don't overlook Chicago's 5 errors on the game.

And that's not where it ended, I'm afraid. It was to be a double header, and while most double headers end in a split (each team usually picks up a win) the White Sox were having the definitive bad day in baseball, as they go shut out 12 - 0 with the following game.

I mention all this because 1) It's rare to have a baseball game with that high score and 2) Sometimes, you need something so bad that no matter how bad your own team is doing (like the Dbacks getting swept by the Reds!) you have the boon of knowing it wasn't as bad as that time. . . . .

July 6th's game has provided such a comparison. So remember that day people, and enjoy the rest of the season!

I Can PAY to Watch Comercials?

2007-07-02T16:34:00.001-09:00

I paid for a MLB.TV subscription that is supposed to let me watch my Dbacks online. But, for some reason, Southern Utah is blacked out. I do however get the option of listening to the radio broadcast of the game. Why it's ok to listen as opposed to watching--I have no idea. I also have no idea why last year I wasn't in the black out area.

I do know I paid for it though. So, it pisses me off when I have to wait for an advertisement to finish before I'm allowed to hear my game. I can understand advertising on FSN etc, basic cable is cheap at best; but when people are paying money they shouldn't have to suffer through advertisements.

Greed is ugly.

O-Dog, yes. Byrnes, No

2007-07-01T17:19:00.000-09:00

I'm glad they read my blog before going on live before making their final announcement. They had to wait for the Mariners and the Braves to finish their game before the announcements; so naturally there was both a rain delay and extra innings before the announcements were made.

I can tell they read my blog because Orlando Hudson is on the All Star Team (I'm just that important to baseball), as well as Jose Valverde--who is second in the league in saves. They must have figured I would be appeased by throwing the bone to Gold Glove winning O-Dog.

Maybe I might have been appeased if my Dbacks hadn't played a 13 - 0 game against the Giants.

Maybe.

All in all though, I'm happy. Tony Gwynn even said Eric Byrnes should be going to the All Star Game, which was unexpected but welcomed.

Halfway Through

2007-06-30T06:03:00.000-09:00

I won't bore anyone with needless detail about my relatively boring life. Suffice to say I've been busy enough I didn't have the blogging spirit in me. But, I still like baseball and I still pay close attention to it.

So here we go.

Sunday, tomorrow July 1st we get to hear the final All Star tally. It's already been said that a record number of votes this year. Wether that's because more fans are voting or the fans that vote took advantage of the very trusting All Star Ballet (all ya needed was a different email, no confirmation or anything) that let you vote 25 times, is a debate.

Myself; I'm a National League sort of guy, I think the pitcher should hit ( no offense to the slowed up, older gentlemen who typically D.H.). My boys are in their new Sedona Red and they are looking good this year. The Dbacks are holding their own in the tightest division in baseball. The Padres and Dodgers have had better seasons coming into '07, which leads to them being hailed as the top contenders.

Either way you want to argue the division one thing is undebatable: every team in baseball has players that should be present at an event that boasts to have gathered the collected best of the best. And in the Diamondbacks case, it would be Eric Byrnes and Orlando Hudson (more on that in part II, to be written after the All Star announcement--hopefully not with bitter anger!)

I voted at least 300 times (unless you are some sort of official all star ballet counter, in which case--dude, I'm kidding!) which means I had to somehow enter in 12 emails. Once your initial votes were in ( you could skip either league if you didn't want to vote for their players) it was a matter of entering in a validation code, clicking in this order:

VOTE NOW!

PROCEDE TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE!

REGISTER MY VOTE!

At which point you are thanked for voting and presented with a link that said:

VOTE AGAIN!

I got my wife to vote 75 times, and a handful of coworkers to vote their 25 times my way (I put in the votes and they clicked away).

I'm not proud, but if it were a functional event; I wouldn't have to threaten my friends and loved ones to do what I say. I think the All Star Game needs to take a close look at how the players for the teams are assembled.

Eric Byrnes (22) Should be in the All Star Game.

2007-06-28T15:07:00.000-09:00

That's a goddamn fact.

I'll prove it later. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a couple more hours to stuff the ballet box as fat as I can.

He Might Maybe Think About Pitching

2007-03-21T20:04:00.000-09:00

NY Yankees, BOS Red socks and HOU Astros all want Roger Clemens to come back and pitch half the season in their respective colors, but there’s a forth team who’s got a great shot at recruiting The Rocket: RE Tirement. But, lets consider them all after some tasteful but brief set up.

Last year, working out with his injured son Koby was the reason Roger felt like he stayed in good enough shape that he was in a position to come back and pitch after the All Star break. He chose the Astros for many reasons, a few of them being Houston is his home town and the Astros agreed to let him hang out at home when he wasn’t pitching—I’m not sure who hired the slaves to fan him on his thrown of cushions on the off days.

This year, the favorite seems to be the Yankees. Enough so that Robinson Cano surrendered his jersey number (voluntarily) so there wouldn’t be a conflict if Clemens decided to rejoin newly reacquired Andy Petite.

The Rocket has made statements towards the end that if he were to come back (again) it would to a team with a chance for the postseason. So, maybe not the Astros.

What doesn’t have to be said is that the team would also have to afford him—giving the Astros and their smaller budget something to consider, save for a chance that Clemens might come back (again) and pitch for half the season, or invest the money elsewhere.

Boston has two pitchers over 40 in Wakefield and Schilling—even as a fan of the knuckleball, of the two, I’d bet on Schilling having a competitive season. Roger doesn’t really seem to fit into Boston’s current rotation, and I’m not sure who they would knock back into the bullpen.

The last option no one seems to be talking about: Retirement. Roger is quotes as saying, “I don’t want to play.” The reasons he continues to entertain the notion seem to be wrapped around a team (well, one of three teams) needing him to come pitch, presumably after the all star break

So, all that has to happen for the Rocket to take the mound this year (again) are:

1. Room on the rotation (probably knocking a starter to the bullpen, and a bullpen guy back to the minors)
2. Room enough in the budget they could probably spend on two other players.
3. Said team must be bound for the post season (possible pact with Satan my be required)

Spring Training: II

2007-03-20T12:50:00.000-09:00

Spring Training II

Last time we went over the basic break down of how spring training is organized and what pitchers are out there trying to prove with established big leaguers vs would be big leaguers.

Now, lets talk about what the hitters and fielders are up to.

In baseball, a fair amount of seasoning is preferred for all of it’s players. What I mean is, even if you’re hitting homeruns left and right and the ball never gets by you on the field BUT you’re 19—you can all but count on being a minor leaguer. Just ask HIM.

Why is that? Some say the move up to the majors is a pretty major change, and that it requires a few seasons slugging it out in the minor league to build the necessary experience that allows for players to survive the big leagues. This goes for any player—including pitchers.

Established hitters are usually looking to find their stride and to get a look at the pitchers. What I mean by find their stride is perfect their swing and get their timing down. Pitchers will often let you see a couple of fastballs and then try and mess with a hitters timing by throwing a change up, which has the same arm action as a fastball (making it deceptive for the hitter).

There 162 regular season games. Injuries are unavoidable, and many of the hitters sat out some of last season, and are eager to get back into the swing of things (pun intended).

The men looking to make the Opening Day Roster are trying to prove they can handle the big league pitches from the guys throwing them. The guys who really have a chance already have a few seasons in the minor leagues under the gloves and have been consistently improving.

And being sent to the minor leagues doesn’t mean they’re going to spend the entire season there—remember those unavoidable injuries?

And remember, just because the stats aren’t official doesn’t mean you can’t see what’s going on with your team/ favorite player. You can check the daily scoreboard HERE.

Spring Training

2007-03-19T09:12:00.000-09:00

One of my goals behind this blog is to make it welcoming to the uninitiated baseball fan as well. So, forgive me an occasional explanatory post--like this one! I'm trying to nurture and grow some new fans, so feel free to disregard any oversimplifications you might come across.

We're going to go over the basics of spring training and then specifically look at how pitching works within the pre-season, to be followed later by how hitters and fielders work.

Spring Training

The whole purpose behind spring training is to allow teams an opportunity for their teams to warm up and to see who they want for their opening day rosters. This plays out in many different forms.

There are two leagues for spring training: The Cactus and Grapefruit leagues. Which camp you go to is based basically on geographic location (with exceptions being made for cities with two teams). Teams closer to the west coast get to enjoy their fun in the sun in Arizona while the east coast gets the Florida treatment. There are five more teams in Grapefruit League.

You can find the current 07 spring training standings HERE.

Pitching

Established pitchers (pitchers who know they'll be playing regular season ball at the major league level) are out there getting a feel for their stuff. They build on each start until they are back to regular season level.

Initially, they come out with a pre-determined pitch count and an estimated innings pitch. Two innings pitched is standard, and the pitch count is going to depend on the pitcher. The Cubs' starter-turned-reliever Kerry Wood, for example, was assigned 35 pitches and 2 innings his first time out.

It's also an opportunity for pitchers to see how hitters handle a newer pitch.

Other times, pitchers are looking to show that they belong to be promoted from the minor leagues. A lot of times, the MLB coaches are getting a fresh look at the would-be's. The reason they're even having a look is based a lot on how they did last year. Since this is spring training, it's not necessarily ERA that's going to win a pitcher a spot on the rotation or bullpen--it's how they handle themselves in the different situations.

Basically, any questions coaches and teams have about their players will be answered by how the players--pitchers or otherwise, handle Spring Training. That doesn't mean it isn't taken seriously. There's already been a little drama between the Padres and Rockies.

Keep up with Spring Training! There's lots of fun to see.

My Thumbs Are About Twidled Out

2007-02-28T09:33:00.000-09:00

Fans of baseball have little else to do in the off season but check in periodicaly with the updates to see what's going on with their teams. Some teams still have question marks all over the place--who will play what position, what the final batting order will look at, final rotation schedule, etc.

There's some semi-exciting stuff going on during spring training as well as some pretty silly stuff. Invariably, someone from some team will get a season ending injury sliding wrong, intercepting a line drive with their face or maybe just getting out of their car in the parking lot. Doesn't matter--its gonna happen. The Cubs almost lost Kerry Wood to the slick ground around a hot tub. Luckily, he bruised his ego harder than his ribs.

Right now, I'm holding my breath and just hoping Randy Johnson is feeling a lot better. More specifically, I'm hoping his troubled back is feeling like cotton candy spun from the clouds of heaven! Reading session wrap-ups is a little nerve-wracking because I really want the Big Unit to come out and pitch well. As I love the Dbacks this year, it would be foolish to count on the run support he had behind him in New York.

I've been trying to will time forward--in between the sweet tidbits of information I mean. Is it just me, or would it be great if the press could create a feud instead of just hoping that printing rumors and speculation might provoke something juicy?

Just let Jeter know he's supposed to react to his weakened friendship with A-rod. Record him storming around the locker room throwing the teddy bear that A-rod won for him at the carnival on the ground. Hell, do it a few times and make sure you get the shot ya want.

Hell, let the fans vote! We get to pick the All Star Game roster, why stop at any boundary--they're artificial constructs anyways. To what degree we, the fans, get to rule the life of the player could be included in the contract. They're out there playing for us the fans, right? We consume! Jerseys, hats, posters, tickets etc. I think I should be able to decide if A-rod is going to snap and tackle Jeter on the field in the 4th inning or the 5th.

Once Upon a Strikezone

2007-02-06T10:01:00.000-09:00

I’m writing a piece on umpires but this isn’t it. I was fishing around the official website and I stumbled across a great page that gave a rundown on the history (from the beginning to current day) of the strike zone.

Originally, when baseball was first played, the dynamic of hitting was a different situation all together; enough so that I’m going to have some fun explaining it—plus it will help make some pitching points later.

If the strike zone were to magically revert back to its original 1876 form, we’d have players striding up to the plate (originally referred to as the batsman) and he’d tell the umpire he wanted either a high, low or fair pitch. The umpire would signal the batter's order to the pitcher and he’d pitch the pitch.

A high pitch was from the waist to the shoulders.

A low pitch was from a foot above the ground to the waist

A fair pitch was from a foot above the ground to the waist.

All pitches had to over the plate.

Can you imagine if Albert Pujols could walk up and ask for location of a pitch today?

They played for 11 years with those rules. I guess the pitcher still had the chance to get the baseball over the plate however he wants--meaning fastball, change-up, curve ball, etc. Its not like they were letting the batsman call the actual pitch, just the location.

Currently, since I’m sure you’re all sorts of curious by now, a strike is any pitch coming across the plate and is anywhere from the bottom of the knees to the top of the shoulders. Today's batter is forced to rely on a patience, personal superstition or a pitch-tipping delivery to get their pitches. Or some sort of a magical combination of all three.

I Met Tony Gwynn, Kinda

2007-01-30T11:31:00.000-09:00

The ranks of the heroic men lining the Baseball Hall of Fame grew by two yesterday. Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken have both earned the honor--and rightly so.

I am a fan of baseball. As a kid, living in a small town in a state that didn't have a baseball team, I sometimes watched Cubs and Braves games on the WGN and TBS--but I always watched when they played the Padres.

I've only attended a single MLB game my entire life. I was a young boy on a family trip that included a trip to Disneyland, but I was more excited about seeing the Mets take on the Padres in Jack Murphy Stadium. They lost, 2 - 1, but it was still a great time for me. Aftre the game, we gathered above where all the players parked to see the hometeam a little more upclose. There was a long, steep slope of concrete angling down to where all the Padres parked. When Tony Gwynn came out, with barely a thought, I lept over the cement and slid all the way to the bottom without tripping or dropping the pen and baseball I had in my hands.

I was within five feet of him, and he just stared at me until security was there to send me back up the wall. The gathered fans boo'ed Tony while I escorted back to my family. I heard a few muttered comments about not giving that kid an autograph.

I've since lost my affinity for the Pads (go Dbacks!), but I've never been one to ignore the facts, and the facts are the man was one of the most consistant hitters the game has ever seen. He could pull the ball wherever, a testament of his lifetime .338 batting average. He was a hall of fame calibor player. And, as an adult, I really don't hold any grudges about that day. There were probably policies in place that asked the players not to sign autographs in situations like the one I created as an excited youth. Otherwise, there's be kids sliding down that cement after every game--and I had pretty good balance. It'd be quite a tumble if you didn't.

A heartfelt congradulations to both Tonly Gwynn and Cal Ripken!

Sammy So What

2007-01-22T18:26:00.000-09:00

Sammy Sosa has agreed in principle to a one year contract with the Texas Rangers (starting in AAA) that guarantees him five hundred thousand dollars. The contract is also laced with incentives, meaning he'll get some awesome bonuses for putting up some good numbers in whatever categories. Most likely, home runs and a .300+ average (says me). He'll be hitting fifth in the line-up in the DH's position.

I'm not really excited to see Sosa coming back into the limelight of baseball. I can't forget the corked bat incident and the resulting 7 game suspension (it was going to be 8, but Sammy was super sorry about cheating).

I can only imagine the pressure on the men who are out there day after day after, sometimes ten games in a row before they get one day off (much of which is spent traveling). For every player that gets caught there are many more that are playing by the rules.

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve a chance to come back and see if his guns are still firing, I just can't get excited about it.

Arbiwhat?

2007-01-16T16:05:00.000-09:00

One confusing aspect of baseball can be the specifics of contract negotiation. The reason the Randy Johnson Yankees to Diamondbacks trade took so long was because of the many legal specifics in the contract. Official talks began 12-26-06 and official announcements of a successful trade were announced 1/09/07.

The big buzz in the sticks right now is arbitration. I had no idea what it meant and the two seconds I spent searching www.wikidpedia.org yielded nothing.

I fought through the anger and disapointment and went to Google to tell me. If you hate thinking about the specific salaries of overpaid athletes, this would the time to stop reading. If you hate overpriced salaries but enjoy tempering those feelings with that certain honed-in kind of hate, well read right the hell on.

Arbitration, simply put, is a reassessment of the player's current contract compared with the current market value. Consider this fictional account; you're a starting pitcher two years into a four year, 1.7 million dollar deal. Last season you posted a 3.20 ERA. Pitchers with similar ERA's (an infielder would be judged on fielding percentage, batting average, etc.) entering new contracts would be setting a standard. They would look at the current average salary per year, let's say it's 6 million a year, and allow for a readjustment.

Some people hate arbitration because of the pay me more attitude, but to counter this, clubs will enter into contracts that go long enough (four years I believe) that arbitration isn't included in the terms. I guess a good way to look at it is it's a good way to 1) get younger players and clubs to commit a bit and 2) help younger players who've proved themselves get a comparable salary 3) it prompts early contract negotiations between the player and the clubhouse.

It's not hard for clubs to avoid, even if the club doesn't want to throw a four year dear on the table. The Dbacks, who are awsome, have made a great move to avoid arbitration and signed their closer Jose Valverde to another year by giving him a raise.

Past Time For Baseball

2007-01-14T07:08:00.000-09:00

Hello everyone! Welcome to a fan's blog about Baseball. I've been following the sport since I was a boy, though my interest, like many of yours I'm sure, waned around the time the MLB Strike took a season from everyone.

I consider myself, like the commercials say, a fan of baseball. I hate the Cubs but love to see Carlos Zambrano pitch and win. I love my Diamondbacks but am still excited for the post season even if they aren't playing--which is definitely a good thing considering their last few seasons.

Last year was my first in which I kept a close eye on the season as a whole. Close enough that now that it's the off season I find myself desperately sifting through the Internet for any sort of baseball related tidbit--especially trade-related factoids.

The goal of this blog is to put my friendly spin on the baseball happenings at large. I'll try not to cater too much of my stuff toward the Diamondbacks, but I'm not going to avoid the team as subject--especially after Randy Johnson got traded back!

I hope you will have as much fun reading these articles as I will writing them.