Mr. Strasburg Goes to Washington

Stephen Strasburg made his anticipated debut yesterday at a sold out Nationals Park in Washington D.C. against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Strasburg gave an impressive performance in his debut against the Pirates.

Pitching 7 innings, Strasburg gave up 2 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits striking out 14 while walking none. His control of the variety of pitches that he commands was amazing and showed amazing poise and resilience after giving up his first major league homerun.

Keep in mind folks that before we proclaim this kid a Hall of Famer, he did it against the young Pittsburgh Pirates. Let's see how he does against the big boys of the National League over the length of the entire season before we hand him the mantle that was held by such Hall of Famers as Koufax, Gibson and Ryan. For all we know he could be the next Kerry Wood and Brien Taylor as opposed to the next Nolan Ryan.

What I do find amazing is that the balance of power of Baseball has shifted from Baltimore to Washington D.C. to the chagrin of Orioles owner Peter Angelos. Maybe he should sell the team to Cal Ripken and put the Orioles back on the road to success. As it looks, with the drafting of Bryce Harper by the Nationals with the 1st pick, the arrival of Stephen Strasburg and the further development of a young team the Nationals look to be a beacon of hope for Baseball in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area.

FH

Final Impressions on the Botched Perfecto

After a number of days after the botched call by Jim joyce during the potential perfect game by Armando Galarraga and answering questions by many of my friends, here are my final impressions.

Jim Joyce
I stated in my prior post that after his bad call at first Jim Joyce shouldn't umpire a T-Ball game. I have to admit it, I was wrong. Sure he made a bad call, but give him credit for making that call and sticking by it "IF" the runner had been safe. Sure he could have called the runner out automatically and the game would have been perfect, but "IF" the runner was truly safe and he'd call him out then it would have been a bad call. He swore it was safe until he saw the replay. To further give Joyce credit, once he saw the replay and realized he made the wrong call he was man enough to step to the forefront and apologize personally to both Jim Leyland and Galarraga. In all my years of watching baseball I have never seen an umpire apologize for making a bad call. Granted, the situation wasn't a routine grounder during an ordinary game, but Joyce's apology shows that he is a class act. Plus, firing him for his mistake is easier that his having to live with his mistake for the rest of his life just like Leon Durham and Bill Buckner have because of their on the field error.

Armando Galarraga
I have to admit that I was really surprised at how Galarraga took the loss of his perfect game. If he got mad and cursed and kicked the dirt for losing the perfecto, no one would blame him. I would actually expect it. But his stance that no one is perfect and accepting it for what it was has gained many new fans for Galarraga.

Commissioner Bud Selig
Commissioner Selig has taken some heat from people who disagree with his decision to not overturn the call and give Galarraga the perfect game. I agree with Selig. How many bad calls have been made throughout baseball history including those that cost teams championships and were not overturned. Granted, this was a perfect game, of which only 20 have ever been thrown in over 130 years but if you overturn that bad call, then why can't a call during the World Series which is worth 10 times more than the 27th out of a potential perfect game be overturned. When I mean that it is worth more during the World Series its because that decision can alter championships and affect the whole team while perfect games though celebrated by the entire team, tends to be a personal achievement. In addition, the human element to the game is something that differentiates Baseball from other sports that overturns decisions by methods of bureacratic decisions and/or instant replay. Before I go into instant replay, I don't think any pitcher would accept being given a perfect game due to an overturning of the call by Selig. It wouldn't be the same as actually winning the Perfecto on the field.

Instant Replay
I'm already hearing the calls for expanded instant replay, which I think would be a major mistake. Why? Sure, as it is there is instant replay for homeruns. Then if you add instant replay to decisions made by umpires, when will it end. Balls and strikes? Foul balls? Balks? Check Swings? Fan Interference? Runner Interference? See what I mean. If you open instant replay to certain scenarios then you may have to open it to all scenarios, then at that point, Baseball loses its human aspect. Why bother having human players, you can just simulate games on a computer or play it with robots.

So there, what do you guys think. Agree, disagree. Let me know.
FH

June 2, 2010 A Historic Day in Baseball

Today's activities in the Baseball world sounds like something my daughter would say: "Daddy, I have good news and bad news. Which one would you like to hear first". Well, I'll take the choice out of your hands. Here's the bad.

Armando Galarraga has a Perfect Game Stolen From Him
Let me paint you a little picture (and it ain't pretty), the score is 3-0 Tigers against the Indians on the top of the Ninth inning. The crowd of over 17,000 are rocking after an amazing catch that was made by Center-fielder Austin Jackson for the first out. The second out comes on a groundout to short. The next batter grounds the ball between first and second which First baseman Miguel Cabrera fields and throws to Galarraga who is fielding the base and catches the ball while reaches the base before the runner. The call? Safe! Umpire Jim Joyce makes the wrong call on the potential 3rd out of a potential perfect game. Amazing.

We had the chance to witness something that has never been seen in over 130 years of the history of MLB: 3 perfect games during one season. There have been two perfectos thrown 5 days apart in 1880 and 2 perfectos as recent as last month (Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay threw one each), let alone 3 (In a future post, I'll expand on a few tidbits I came up with about perfect games).

To Galarraga's credit he was gracious in his on the field interview with the MLB network. The best game of his career was ruined on an obvious play. It wasn't even close enough to be considered "Bang-Bang". Jim Joyce shouldn't even be allowed to umpire in T-Ball. The calls for expanded instant replay will grow louder since all the angles shown prove that the Joyce's call was grossly wrong. We'll see what happens next

Ken Griffey Jr. Announces His Retirement During his 22nd MLB Season
Before I get into this story, it is amazing to me that Ken Griffey Jr., had been playing Baseball in the majors for 21 years. 21 years? It seems like yesterday that I saw him debut with the Seattle Mariners in 1989, play the outfield with his father, hit back to back homers with Griffey Sr and breaking the hearts of Yankees fans at the end Game 5 of the AL Wild Card by sliding in safe with the winning run.

This first ballot Hall of Famer has decided to retire today putting an end to an impressive career. In a later post, I'll go into detail about the Hall of Famer career of Ken Grifey Jr. Thanks for the highlights Junior. They were amazing.

FH

The Return of Sportsmanship: One Child at a Time

In today's sports environment where a lack of sportsmanship is seen throughout all the major sports, one person is trying to instill the concept of sportsmanship to children. As is often seen on avenues such as Sportscenter, athletes run around glaring and leering over opponents on dunks and sacks. Players come up with ridiculous dances to celebrate homeruns often doing so when the team is behind or woefully ahead. We also hear of those athletes who unless motivated by the lure of new contracts just dogging it on the court, the field and the diamond. Now, if these athletes were doing these things in an isolated bubble then their effect would not be felt. But since these actions are played and replayed not only on TV but also on the internet over and over again, there is one segment of the population that is deeply influenced by what they see: Children. The kids see their idols acting a certain way and as we all have done at one time or another, they emulate what they see thinking that it is the right way to act not realizing that in doing so they not only disrespect themselves, but they disrespect their opponent and the game. Here is one person's attempt to change that.

My friend Daniel Demers is currently basing his philosophy for the good sportsmanship of his son's little league team on the Navy SEAL's Creed. But enough of me rambling on, read what Daniel has to say in his own words:

I'm coaching Sol's Little League team this year and I am trying push the concept of good sportsmanship as hard as I can. I asked the kids to come up with a team name. Since our color is navy blue one kid suggested Navy SEAL's, the other kids protested the idea of being called seals until it was explained that the SEAL's are an elite fighting force. Needless to say thay jumped all over the idea. To help cement the idea I adapted the Navy SEAL creed to baseball terms.

In times of baseball there is a special breed of player ready to answer our team’s call, a common team with an uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by good sportsmanship, we stand alongside America’s finest Little League teams to play baseball, the American pastime, and protect the honor of the game. We are that team.

My bat and glove are symbols of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, they embody the trust of those I play alongside of. By picking up the bat and glove I accept the responsibility of my position on the team. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.

My loyalty to League and team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow players always ready to defend the honor and integrity of the game. I voluntarily accept the team first concept, placing the goals of the team before my own.

I act with honor on and off the baseball field. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other players. I am humble in victory and gracious in defeat. I do not engage in “trash talking”, my bat and glove will say all I need. When the time arises I will take charge and lead my teammates by example in all situations.

I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My team expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my opponents. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to give my teammates 100%. I am never out of the game.

We play with discipline. We expect cooperation. The goals of my teammates and the success of our team depend on teamwork. I practice hard to sharpen my defensive skills, offensive proficiency, and attention to the ball. My training is never complete.

We train to play and play for fun. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of my ability to the field in order to achieve the goals established by my coach. The execution of my abilities will be swift when required yet guided by the very principles that I play to defend.

Honorable players have won and lost building the proud tradition and famed reputation that I am bound to uphold. When I step onto the baseball field, the legacy of past Little Leaguer’s steadies my resolve and silently guides my every play. No matter what the score I am victorious when I play with love for the game. Baseball is my game and I play with heart.

PLAY BALL!

I 'll try to keep you good folks posted on the progress of Daniel's charges in their upcoming season. For those of you who can spread the word, please do so. Children need to know that sportsmanship and respect is not only valuable on the field of play but also throughout life. How can someone respect themselves if they do not respect others. What do you think.

FH

José Lima (1972-2010)

News outlets have reported that Dominican José Desiderio Rodriguez Lima aka "Lima Time" passed away today due to cardiac arrest at the age of 37. Lima, who was one of baseball's more colorful players, was 89-102 in 13 seasons having played with the Detroit Tigers (1994-1996, 2001-2002), Houston Astros (1997-2001), Kansas City Royals (2003, 2005), Los Angeles Dodgers (2004) and New York Mets (2006). Though Lima's last season in the majors was 2006 he continued to play winter ball in his native Domincian Republic, playing as recent as last winter with Las Aguilas Cibaeñas. He also played in the Mexican League for the Saraperos de Saltillo (2007), the Kia Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization (2008) and the Long Beach Armada and Edmonton Capitals of the independent Golden Baseball League (2009).

Photo: José Lima celebrates after striking out a St. Louis Cardinals batter during Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Oct. 9, 2004. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

Lima's best season was 1999 when he was selected to the All-Star Game while with the Houston Astros. Lima had a career high 21 wins with 10 losses and a 3.58 ERA with 246.1 innings pitched. Lima started 35 games of which he completed 3 of them giving up 256 hits, 44 walks, 187 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.218.

Lima's personality and zest for both the game and life will be surely be missed. May he still throw fastballs and dance and sing his mereguitos and bachatas in the afterlife. En paz descance hermano.

For Further Reading:
- Click here for the listing of José Lima's death on the Listin Diario's webpage
- Click here for the New York Times obituary for José Lima
- Click here for the MLB.com article reporting on José Lima's death
- Click here for some words regarding José Lima from some of his peers and friends throughout baseball
- Click here for a video tribute to José Lima

Baseball Tidbits 5/9/2010

So far in this young season a few things of mention have happened. So here are a few impressions from yours truly

Milton Bradley
Bradley has shown that most of baseball was accurate about his effect on the Mariners. Now the reason that they are in last can not be attributed to Bradley. Cliff Lee missed the first month of the season to an abdominal injury and the offense has been abysmal. As I said in an earlier post, Bradley would be a distraction to the team. Which he has by not being in the lineup.

I'm not the kind of person to kick someone when he's down. I give Bradley credit for being able to ask for help in trying to solve his stress related issues. To be honest, I have no clue as to what these stress issues are and what causes them, but I wish him well in trying to resolve them and returning to help his team.

The Mariners on the other hand might be regretting trading Carlos Silva (who is having a decent season with the Cubs) to get Bradley. To their credit, the Mariners are sticking with Bradley with their support. Hopefully things can work out for both sides.

Dallas Braden
After saying this past week that he wanted to go mano-a-mano bare knuckles with A-Rod, he goes out and becomes the 19th player to throw a perfect game. Congratulations to him. Maybe more players should get pissed off at A-Rod. Its done wonders for Braden's career. LOL.

All kidding aside, if Braden still has a beef with A-Rod don't say you want to knuckle up, especially if A-Rod hasn't continued talking trash back through the media. All that does is makes Braden look foolish and thuggish. As I'm going to allude in the next section, do as pitchers throughout the decades have done when they had a beef with a particular player and/or team. A-Rod or any other Yankees batter for that matter might not like the form of retaliation it but it would be something they'd expect.

Back to the perfect game. Not to take anything away from Braden's performance and achievement; a little humility goes a long way. I had the opportunity to watch the last inning on MLB.com (Thanks Pete, LOL) and in the post game, the announcers ask Braden if there's anything that he wants to say about the game and Braden answers "There's nothing to say, its perfect". Now its not what he said but how he said it. With this tone of arrogance and hubris that seems to be seen more and more within young athletes across the major sports. Sure he was the 19th pitcher to do it but damn, be humble about it.

Maybe I'm just getting old and crotchety and not very understanding these younger players, who they are and what motivates them. I'll address how one person is trying to instill good old fashioned sportsmanship with his son's little league team next week.

Josh Beckett and the decline of the Bosox
Leading in perfectly into this commentary, what is wrong with Josh Beckett and the Red Sox. Beckett is currently 1-1 with a 7.46 ERA and after his 10-3 loss to the Yankees on Friday, it seems that his control is lost.

Having plunked a number of Yankees (especially Jeter with the bases loaded) fans and some Yankees players alike felt as if he was doing it purposely. I think that's ridiculous. Why would a pitcher of Beckett's caliber give up earned runs in that manner (In total he have up 9 earned runs). The Yankees took issue with it, and CC Sabathia hit one of the Red Sox hitters the next day (as would be expected within baseball's etiquette for retaliation as Braden should do if he pitches for the A's from July 5-7 against the Yankees) and the situation was squashed.

I think there might be something wrong with Beckett. Maybe he's hiding an injury. If that's the case, say something, take care of it and stop hurting your team. And talking about the team, I know I picked the Red Sox to struggle and end up in 3rd place but they are struggling due to lack of pitching and irratic offense. As of Saturday, the Red Sox were leading the Major Leagues in hits (289) and ranking second in total bases (485) and extra-base hits (114). This shows they are hitting the ball but it is either at the wrong time, when the game is already lost or when the bases are empty. Regardless of when the hits come, the Red Sox are off to their worst start since 1997.

What can solve their ills? Consistent production throughout the lineup and rotation. Granted, they've lost a few pivotal players such as Jacoby Ellsbury to injury but players like David Ortiz, Victor Martinez and Daisuke Matzusaka need to step up before they fall too far behind the Yankees and the Rays.

Any questions and/or comments? Let me hear them. Later.
FH

Over Reliance on Metrics and Ryan Howard

I just finished reading this article in yesterday's New York Times titled Length of Deal Highlights Howard’s Flaws by Dan Rosenheck. In the article, Rosenheck details how Howard's recent contract extension of 5-year $125 million places him in the game's elite in terms of salary but by comparison via the multitude of metrics afforded to the followers of baseball he is firmly in the second tier. As I've said before, sometimes the over reliance on metrics strips away the true value of a player to his team, the team's fans and the city it represents. Sure, compare Howard to Pujols and he'll come up short in the majority of metrics, but that's not a knock on him almost every player (if not all players in the league) will fall short.

Take the example of Derek Jeter. On many metric scales Jeter falls mid range if not lower offensively and defensively. But there is no denying what effect he has on his team, its fans and the city of New York. The man has the intangibles that seem to rise to the surface almost on cue based on the moment. So should the Yankees not sign him to a decent deal based on what he means to the team or based on a logarithm or a detailed statistical forecast. In no way am I discounting these methods of statistical analysis, but I believe that good old blood and guts should also factor into the decision of any team resigning their best player. Both Jeter and Howard bring that to their respective teams.

Getting back to Howard, will he become a player who remains consistent like Hank Aaron (I'm not comparing their stats, just Aaron to Howard as a potential model of consistency) or will he become this generation's Mo Vaughn, Travis Hafner, David Ortiz, Richie Sexson, Cecil Fielder and John Jaha (players who he closely resembles as per baseball reference.com). That truly remains to be seen. But I believe that by the year of 2016 (which is when the extension ends) Ryan Howard will be among the Phillies greats loved and adored by the Phillies faithful as is Schmidt and Carlton.