An Appreciation of Baseball Broadcasters
The New York Islanders were eliminated from the NHL playoffs this past weekend. Now, I realize most of you reading this don’t care or may not even know who the Isles are. However, their elimination also marked the end of the hockey season for Howie Rose, their TV play-by-play guy who will now go back full-time to doing play-by-play on the radio for the New York Mets. To me, Rose is one of the best broadcasters in the business and his call of the game winning goal in Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils ranks as one of my favorite broadcasting moments of my life. I didn’t listen to it live and even though I am not a Rangers fan at all, there was something about it that will stick with me forever. Perhaps it was the unbridled joy in Rose’s voice or the simplicity of it (“Matteau! Matteau!”) that never allows me to get tired of it.
Howie Rose, one of the best in the business. Image: nypost.com
In the world of baseball, there are many calls where all I need to hear is one word and I can tell you all there is to know about that particular game and what exactly the call was about. For instance, when I hear a high-pitched scream of “Safe!”, I know right away it is Sean McDonough on the last play of the 1992 National League Championship Series. Sid Bream barely beat Barry Bonds‘s throw home as the Atlanta Braves , trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, rallied to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 and punch their ticket to a second consecutive World Series. The following year, right after the Toronto Blue Jays’ Joe Carter ended the 1993 World Series with a three-run home run , McDonough’s line, “Touch ‘em all Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life” is another one that stands the test of time for me.
There is the legendary Jack Buck who had so many great moments both in baseball and football over a long and distinguished career. Who could forget his “I don’t believe what I just saw” line after the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson hit his famous home run to end Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Then there was the “We’ll see you… tomorrow night” after Kirby Puckett‘s 11th inning home run for the Minnesota Twins sent the 1991 World Series to a 7th game. This line was used by his son Joe as David Freese also sent the 2011 World Series to a 7th game with an 11th inning home run for the St. Louis Cardinals. However, the three words that did it for me were, “Go crazy folks”! as Ozzie Smith ended Game 5 of the 1985 NLCS with a solo home run as the Cards defeated the Dodgers 3-2 in a series St. Louis won in six game.
One that took place slightly before my time was the call made by Russ Hodges on October 3, 1951. If you don’t know what I am referring to, perhaps the shout, “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!” will ring a bell. It was Bobby Thomson‘s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” as his New York Giants rallied from 13 1/2 games down in the regular season and then a 4-1 deficit in the 9th inning of a sudden death playoff game to defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-4 to earn a trip to the World Series. It may possibly be the greatest call in the history of sports broadcasting and over 60 years after the fact, the most recognizable one.
No list of baseball announcers would be complete without the mention of Vin Scully. Now in his 62nd year of calling Dodger games, Scully’s is a true living legend, a connection to the great baseball names of the past and possessing a vast reservoir of story-telling second to none. No hysterics, no “signature call”, just a an easy listen focusing on the game and not himself. He is the best broadcaster in baseball history, followed closely by long time Detroit Tigers man, the late Ernie Harwell. These two gentlemen have called games for a combined 100 years with memories of their greatness lasting another 100 more. More of today’s broadcasters should be like these two men and the others on this list. No rehearsing, no silliness. They should just call a game without becoming a sideshow.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Happy Birthday Rick Langford and Chris Hoiles!
March 20th is supposed to be the first day of Spring. I guess the Northeast division of Mother Nature did not get the message. With Opening Day less than two weeks away, the temperature outside does not remind anyone of baseball. So in order to get in the mood for green grass, dirt and a diamond, I decided to look up who in Major League Baseball has a birthday today. There were over 50 names, past and present, living and deceased including one Hall of Famer (“Iron” Joe McGinnity). You can view the entire list by clicking here. I would like to wish all of these guys a Happy Birthday with a special shout out to Rick Langford and Chris Hoiles.
Rick Langford completed 28 games in 1980. Image: setcelebs.com
Langford pitched for 11 seasons from 1976 through 1986 and all except his rookie year were spent with the Oakland A’s. His two best years by far came in 1980 and 1981 pitching under Billy Martin. In 1980, the right-hander went 19-12 with an astonishing 28 complete games, the highest total in almost 40 years and a number that will surely never be equaled again. He also led the American League in innings pitched with 290. The following year was more of the same as during the strike-shortned 1981 season, Langford again led baseball in complete games with 18 and finished with a 12-10 record. Unfortunately, his career became derailed by injury after 1982 as he appeared in only 49 games over the final four seasons of his career. Langford finished with an overall record of 73 wins and 106 losses with a 4.01 ERA. I will always remember him for that workhorse 1980 season.
Hoiles was a power-hitting catcher who played his entire 10 year career (1989-1998) with the Baltimore Orioles. His best season was 1993 as he clubbed 29 home runs and knocked in 82 runs to go along with a .310 batting average. Hoiles had a career-high 503 at-bats and finished 16th in the MVP balloting that season. He was a key member of those 1996 and 1997 Baltimore teams that went to back-to-back American League Championship Series. The rigors of catching caught up to him at age 33 his last season in the Majors. He enjoyed a productive year with 15 homers and 56 RBI’s in 318 at-bats and entered the record books on August 14th when he became the first catcher ever to hit two grand slams in one game. Hoiles’s overall numbers are pretty good by catching standards, 151 home runs, 449 RBI’s and a .262 batting average and he also owns a small place in the vast history of baseball.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
USA’s WBC Showing
The World Baseball Classic is wrapping up its third extravaganza this week. For the third straight time, the United States will not be playing for the championship. It does seem kind of odd that the sport that has been dubbed “The National Pastime”, the sport we brought to countries around the world and yet we can’t win its international Cup, for lack of a better term. However, I do hesitate to draw any kind of conclusion about this turn of events or what it means to us and to other nations about our status as a baseball powerhouse.
I am still proud of Heath Bell and all of the members of Team USA. Image: yahoo.com
You know the old axiom, “good pitching beats good hitting”. That certainly was the case as the United States scored a grand total of four runs during its losses to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Perhaps Team USA had cold bats or the pitching of the other two countries were throwing darts or it was a combination of both. I saw most of both games and it was more of a case of the pitchers throwing the ball where they wanted to. The pitchers themselves don’t have to have sparkling resumes or even br very good but in a one game, take-all , situation any pitcher can get hot. In the game with the DR, Samuel Deduno and Kelvin Herrera combined for six innings allowing only one run to the Americans. Deduno, who will turn 30 in July, finally made it to the Majors last year with the Minnesota Twins going 6-5 with a 4.44 ERA in 15 starts. Herrera, age 23, was a good reliever last year for the Kansas City Royals posting a 2.35 ERA in 76 games. Decent seasons from the pair, but nothing spectacular. And then there was the starting pitcher for PR, Nelson Figueroa who surrendered only two hits over six shutout innings to eliminate the USA. This is the same Nelson Figueroa who has bounced around through different organizations, will turn 39 in May and has a grand total of 20 Major League wins. Now, before you say that the U.S. should have pounded those pitchers into oblivion, think of Don Larsen. Larsen pitched perhaps the greatest game in baseball history, tossing a perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series. Just two years prior to that one magical day, he sported a 3-21 record. He finished his 14-year career with a mark of 81 wins, 91 losses and a 3.78 ERA. Any pitcher can turn in an exceptional performance on any given day.
Then there is the feeling that the fans of other countries are more passionate about the WBC that we are here and that translates to those respective countries’ players taking it more seriously. While I agree that the fan interest is much lower here, I don’t think our guys are any less intense or any less prideful. You should have seen the dugout for the Americans after they scored a couple of late runs as they tried to rally against Puerto Rico. I don’t think Team USA’s players are any less excited about playing in the WBC than their counterparts. Consequently, I believe the guys from other nations like the DR , PR and Cuba don’t play any harder now than they do for their regular Major League teams. They might be a little more excited winning these WBC games because they win for their countries but that doesn’t mean their level of intensity or their thrill of victory is any less in Major League Baseball. Just take a look at Yadier Molina celebrating World Series victories for the St. Louis Cardinals. The only players in other lands that may be playing “harder” are those that are looking for a Major League team or, as in the case of Robinson Cano, looking to get a springboard to a big payday.
It is very disappointing that the United States will once again not be crowned champions of the World Baseball Classic. However, that does not make me any less proud of the team for representing our country on the international stage. It also does not make me think that American baseball players are any less skilliful than their international peers. We will see what happens in four years as Bryce Harper and Mike Trout, barring injury, will help Team USA get over the WBC hump and generate an American level of excitement that has been missing the first three times.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Italy vs. the Dominican Republic: What Could Have Been
The matchup on Tuesday during the World Baseball Classic looked lopsided on paper. Here was the powerful Dominican Republic led by Jose Reyes and Robinson Cano looking to cruise past Italy, perhaps its best known figure being hitting coach Mike Piazza. Yet, there was this team of virtual unknowns, jumping out to a 4-0 first inning lead and throwing a huge scare into the heavy favorites until the 7th inning when the DR scored three runs on their way to a 5-4 victory. Although I am for Team USA all the way, I was itching to see a major upset. Plus, it hurt that fellow Yonkers native Brian Sweeney was the pitcher who surrendered the game-tying sacrifice fly and the go-ahead hit after entering the game with the bases loaded and one out holding a 4-3 lead. With the game tied at 4, Sweeney made a good pitch to Nelson Cruz who broke his bat on contact. The ball trickled through to right field scoring the final run of the game. After getting squeezed on a call Saturday night against Giancarlo Stanton, Sweeney deserved a better fate. Had the Italians prevailed, I wonder what kind legacy this game would have.
Italy did some celebrating at the WBC making it to the second round. Image: ctpost.com
I am not one to give to hyperbole with so much of it out there on the Internet, on TV and on the radio. However, one could reasonably argue that it would have been one of, if not the biggest upset in international baseball competition. I don’t want to take anything away from Italy as while we don’t think of them as a baseball powerhouse, they do play well on the world stage. The National team has won back-to-back European Championships and qualified for each Olympics from 1992 through 2004. There are several capable Major League players on their roster including Anthony Rizzo, Nick Punto and Jason Grilli. However, the Dominicans boast some of the finest players in the world with Edwin Encarnacion, Fernando Rodney and Carlos Santana in addition to Cano and Reyes dotting their roster. With a matchup like that, one could see why most people though the DR would cruise. Now, would that have been an upset on par with the 1969 World Series when the New York Mets shocked the baseball universe by beating the Baltimore Orioles in five game? No, simply because yesterday was only one game while the Mets, even if they took seven games to defeat the Birds still would have been considered a major upset. Same goes for the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays who stunned all of us by going to the World Series after so many seasons of 95-plus losses. It is very hard to quantify where this game could have ranked in baseball history given that the sport lends itself to the length of its regular season and playoffs as opposed to football where legacies can be made in one game.
As I write this, Italy has just been eliminated from the WBC by Puerto Rico, losing another late game lead, this time surrendering three runs in the eighth inning and going down in defeat by the score of 4-3. I feel badly for the team and its fans, having two stronger teams reeling only to come up short. However, the sport of baseball should only get more popular in Italy and perhaps when the next Classic rolls around in four years they will be considered a contender instead of a spoiler. The stronger the teams are in non-traditional baseball countries, the more better it is for all of us fans.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Baseball’s Good Guys
This is going to be one of the those different posts. Too often, both in sports and in life, we read and hear about negativity. Whether it’s an athlete getting arrested for drunk driving or the daily carnage exhibited by regular folks, there has to be more out there has to be more in the news than just the same depressing stories, only with different faces. That is what this entry will be about; in fact I hope to make this a regular feature. It will focus on certain baseball players that do an enormous amount of good work, mainly done under the radar. Here are the first set of guys you should follow instead of the egomaniacs and criminals we read about every day.
Derek Jeter, ultimate winner, better role model. Image: sikids.com
Derek Jeter: That’s right, we start this with not only baseball’s ultimate winner but perhaps its best role model. There are legions of Jeter-haters out there waiting for the Captain to have an embarrassing public slip-up. That in of itself says volumes about today’s society. The fact is Jeter is a Hall of Fame player as well as a Hall of Fame person. His Turn 2 Foundation was started in 1996 when he was a rookie and is now one of baseball most recognized charities. The foundation contains numerous programs designed to promote healthy lifestyles among young people. Since its inception, Turn 2 has been awarded over $16 million dollars in grants for its three chapters. New York, Western Michigan and Tampa. In 2012 Siena College awarded him a Doctorate of Humane Letters for his charitable endeavors. As far as personal conduct goes, what parent (like me) wouldn’t like their child to emulate DJ? You don’t hear a whiff of trouble surrounding him in the media and he also conducts himself in an exemplary manner in public. He donates an enormous amount much of his time, money and energy into his foundation. In short, there is no better role model right now in baseball than Derek Jeter.
Jim Thome: The 42-year old future Hall of Famer is looking for a team at the moment. He still has a little bit of life left in his bat as he stroked eight home runs in 161 at-bats in 2012. There is always someone who can use a left-handed bat off the bench so I expect the slugger to find work before May 1st. If he can’t find work as a player, perhaps he can focus on his second career as a professional charity spokesperson. There are so many organizations Thome has either lent his time, money name or all of the above that it is almost impossible to keep track of. this link to an archived Chicago White Sox page may be able to guide you. 2005 was an exceptionally banner year for Thome’s work as he was honored by The Sporting News as Major League Baseball’s Number One Good Guy and the Lou Gehrig Award given to the player who exemplifies tremendous character. He has raised over $1 million dollars for the Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria. At each one of his extended stays (Cleveland, Philadelphia and Chicago) during his playing career, he has involved himself in numerous charities in those communities. One would be hard-pressed to find an athlete who is as generous with his time and money as Jim Thome.
Torii Hunter: There aren’t many players in baseball who smile more than the Gold Glove center fielder. Kids all over the country smile because Hunter both on and off the field. His Torii Hunter Project has outreach programs in four cities dedicated to helping kids with character education. Hunter has personally contributed over $1 million dollars to the cause and his partnered with another giving athlete, tennis great Andre Agassi. The Project began in Los Angeles while a member of the Angels just as he and his wife Katrina started the Torii and Katrina Hunter Foundation while he was playing for the Minnesota Twins. In 2007, he was awarded the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, given to one player for his outstanding on-field performance and off-field contributions to the community. In 2009, he received the Branch Rickey Award which rewards excellence in charity work. On March 4th, Hunter donated $100,000 to the University of Arkansas for the purposes of constructing an indoor baseball and track and field facility. His personality and tireless efforts on behalf of those less fortunate makes Torii Hunter one of baseball’s finest role models.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Baseball’s Most Tortured Fans
Living in New York, I have had to hear much chatter about the woeful ways of the New York Mets. The angst felt by their fans toward their beloved team is certainly understandable. At the risk of inflicting more wounds, I won’t go into events that have led to their frustration, particularly the ones over the past seven seasons. However, I am a little tired of the “woe is me” attitude that seems to prevail among Met fans. Of all the fans of Major League Baseball teams, they act as though nobody has had it as rough as them. I must admit it is a bit humourous at times to listen to them rant but at the same time, it does get old. So I decided to quantify which fans have been inflicted with the most misery over the course of their existence. I kept the list to five though it could have very easily been expanded to ten. Sorry Met fans, your team doesn’t cut it; in fact I would have a hard time picking them for my top ten. Here they are, in no particular order the UnFab Five:
Pirates fans yearn for the days of Dave Parker. Image: bleacherreport.com
Chicago Cubs: This franchise has been known as the Cubs since 1903 but it actually dates back to 1876 when they were known as the White Stockings. The last time the Cubbies appeared in the World Series was 1945 and the last time they won it was 1908. Since then, it has been nothing but losses and heartbreak for the fans of Wrigleyville and beyond. Since that 1945 series, the Cubs have captured four division titles and one Wild Card. They have yet to win a single playoff series. Oh, they have been close. They had a two games to none lead on the San Diego Padres in 1984 back when the divisional round was the best of five and the winner went to the Fall Classic. First, it was Steve Garvey taking Lee Smith deep to win Game 4 and then with the Cubs winning 3-2 in Game 5, Leon Durham‘s error in the bottom of the seventh inning opened the door to a four run inning allowing San Diego to prevail 6-3 and go to the World Series. Fast forward to 2003 and the team held a commanding 3 games to 1 lead over the Florida Marlins in the NLCS. This was, of course the Steve Bartman series in which the end result was Florida coming all the way back and advancing to the Series. Then there was 2008 when Chicago posted the best record in the National League at 97-64 only to be swept in the first round by the Los Angles Dodgers. Throughout their history, be it decades ago or a couple of years ago, there has been an endless array of second tier finishes. If you though the party for the Boston Red Sox was huge when they finally won it all in 2004, wait until the Cubs win the big one. Hopefully, that will happen before the next turn of the century.
Cleveland Indians: Although the Tribe enjoyed a great deal of success from the mid 1990′s to 2001, this is a franchise that has not won a World Series since 1948. Some of those playoff losses a decade or so ago are the stuff of legend…..and misery. They lost the 1997 Fall Classic in heart-breaking fashion when the Indians coughed up a 2-1 9th inning lead in Game 7 and lost in 11 innings. In 1999, they blew a two game to nothing lead against the Red Sox in the divisional round and lost in five as Pedro Martinez came out of the bullpen in the clincher and tossed six-no hit innings. After a string of dismal seasons, the 2007 club held a 3 games to 1 lead over Boston in the ALCS only to see the Sox make another historic comeback and evaporate Cleveland fans’ dreams once again. Since that year, the team has not finished above .500. Before their 1990′s surge, they were about as big a laughingstock in the game as you could find. In 1968, the Tribe finished in third place. They would not finish that high again in the standings until 1994. From 1978 through 1985, Cleveland would finish no higher than sixth place in the American League East. “Major League” came to theaters in 1989; too bad some of that magic didn’t rub off on the organization until five years later.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Everyone knows the not-so magical number: 20, as in the number of consecutive losing seasons. I also think back to the last time the Bucs won the World Series which was 1979. Not too long after that, the team began playing some really bas baseball. From 1981 through 1989, the Pirates finished higher than fourth only twice, lowlighted by the 1985 campaign in which the team went a horrendous 57-104. And then it was onto those three, glorious seasons from 1990 to 1992 in which they captured three straight National League East titles. Of course, those last two seasons ended in miserable fashion. In 1991, the Pirates came home with a 3-2 NLCS lead over the Atlanta Braves only to score exactly zero runs over the next 18 innings as Atlanta reached the Fall Classic. Who could ever forget the two teams’ epic encounter the following season in the NLCS? The Bucs fought back from a 3 games to 1 deficit and took a 2-0 lead into the 9th inning of Game 7 only to watch the Braves push across three runs, the final one being Sid Bream‘s “dash” around third base to score the series-clinching run. The following season, Barry Bonds was gone and an entire generation of Pittsburgh fans has NEVER seen their club get to the .500 mark.
Kansas City Royals: Even now, it is almost hard for me to picture the Royals be so miserable as growing up they were one of the best franchises in Major League Baseball. I am sure that feeling is not shared by KC fans. Except for that tremendous run between 1975 and 1989, the last time it won 90 games, Royals fans have not been treated too kindly by their team. The five seasons between 2002 and 2006 saw Kansas City lose over 100 games four times. Had they not finished 83-79 in 2003, KC’s streak of consecutive losing seasons would stand at 18. Since 1994 when MLB expanded to three divisions per league, the Royals have finished as high as second place only once, that coming in 1995. During this stretch, they have seen homegrown stars such as Johnny Damon and Carlos Beltran flourish in other locales. They have not made the playoffs since 1985, the year of their only World Series victory and is currently the longest postseason drought in the game today. Kansas City fans are hoping this is the year all of the building and shuffling pays off with a winning season and a playoff berth. I will believe it when I see it.
Seattle Mariners: This was the hard one. I could have gone with a handful of other teams. If I had written on this topic at this time last year, I think I would have gone with the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals. Their 2012 season and having stars such as Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper takes them out of consideration. I could have chosen the Milwaukee Brewers, despite the fact they have made two playoff appearances over the past five seasons. It was a very long wait for postseason baseball to return to Wisconsin. Instead, I will go with the only other team besides Expos/Nats to not appear in a World Series, the squad from the Pacific Northwest. It’s hard to believe that a franchise that once boasted Ken Griffey, Jr, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson and Edgar Martinez could appear on this list. No World Series trips helped (hindered?) the cause as well as futility before and after the four players starred for the club. Seattle began play in 1977 and did not post a winning record until 1991 when it finished 83-79. It took all the way until 1997 for the franchise to reach the 90 win mark. After trading Griffey, the team made the ALCS in 2000. After losing Rodriguez, the M’s won a record 116 regular season games but lost again in the ALCS. Since then, there has been nothing going on except the magical hitting of Ichiro Suzuki and later the dazzling pitching of Felix Hernandez. They lost 101 games in 2008 and 2010 and have finished last in the AL West seven times in the last nine seasons. After almost a decade of misery, the skies may be getting brighter in Seattle.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Baseball’s Forgotten Team: The 1981 Cincinnati Reds
This sign for the 1981 Cincinnati Reds says it all. Image: mlb.com
Sometime within the past week, MLB Network ran one of their Prime 9 episodes, this one featuring the Top 9 non-playoff teams. The team sitting in the number nine position is also the one that has the most legitimate gripe about not making the post season. The 1981 Cincinnati Reds finished with the best record in the game yet did not partake in any playoff activity. How can this be, one might ask? Well, 1981 was the year of the longest work stoppage in baseball history until the 1994 strike which cancelled the World Series. As a result of the interruption in play, the season was split into two halves. The Reds finished the first portion a half game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and the second half a game and a half behind the Houston Astros. Cincinnati’s overall record of 66-42 was the best in baseball but alas they did not have a chance to play for the World Series. Ironically, the St. Louis Cardinals had the best overall record in the National League East yet like the Reds, did not qualify for the playoffs as they finished second in both halves, the first time to the Philadelphia Phillies and the second time to the Montreal Expos who would be making their first and only postseason appearance in Montreal. So the two teams in the National League that finished with the best overall records in their respective divisions did not make the playoffs. This was also the first year there were divisional playoffs, an event that did not occur again for another fourteen years.
Many members of the famed “Big Red Machine” were gone by the time the 1981 season started. Future Hall of Famers Joe Morgan and Tony Perez as well as Pete Rose departed Cincy by 1980 but the team still had some formidable stars. Johnny Bench, though at the end of his Cooperstown career still had some pop in his bat. Outfielders Ken Griffey and George Foster were still excellent ballplayers and star pitcher (also another future Hall of Famer) Tom Seaver was able to anchor the pitching staff. The Reds finished 1980 with an 89-73 record, good for third place, three and a half games behind the division champion Astros. It marked the first time since 1971 that Cincinnati did not finish first or second in the National League West. At the start of the 1981 season, the Reds were expected to contend for the top spot in the West. Indeed, when the strike began on June 12th, the Reds had a 35-21 record, one win less than the Dodgers and their won-loss mark was also good enough for the second-best record in all of baseball. Play resumed on August 6th and the winning by Cincinnati continued. As late as September 30th, the Reds were within a half game of Houston but lost three of their final four contests to finish with a 31-21 record and another second place finish. Once again, the only record in all of baseball that was better than theirs belonged to the team that finished ahead of them in their division.
Many Cincinnati players enjoyed outstanding individualseasons in 1981. Griffey finished tied for fifth in batting with a .311 average and shortstop Dave Concepcion placed ninth in the same category hitting .306. Concepcion finished third in hits and placed fourth in the voting for the NL MVP award. Foster had one of the best years in the game finishing third in home runs with 22 and second in RBI’s with 90. He also finished in the top ten in hits, runs scored, doubles and total bases. These numbers were good enough for third place in the MVP balloting. Outfielder Dave Collins tied for fourth in stolen bases with 26 and tied for tenth in triples with six, the same number as teammate Griffey. On the mound, Seaver was his usual, outstanding self, pacing the Senior Circuit in wins with 14 and winning percentage with .875. He finished in second place for the Cy Young Award and tenth for the MVP. Mario Soto was tied for fourth in wins with 12 and had 151 strikeouts in 175 innings finishing third in both categories. Bruce Berenyi punched out 106 batters, good for sixth in the league and tossed three shutouts, the same number as Soto.
1981 proved to be the last hurrah for what was left of one of the greatest teams baseball has seen. The starting outfield of Foster, Griffey and Collins all departed after the season and Bench was shifted to third base. The 1982 season was a complete mess. Seaver slipped to a frightening 5-13 season with an ugly 5.50 ERA. Other than Soto’s 14-13 mark, none of the other main starting pitchers were better than five games under .500. It resulted in a disastrous 61-101 record that landed the team in the basement, the worst mark in the club’s storied history. It would be another eight years before Cincinnati got another taste of the playoffs, winning it all in 1990. However, that doesn’t make the fans in Cincinnati feel any better about their team posting the best record in the game in 1981 without getting a chance to play for all the marbles.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Way Too Early for Predictions
Sportscaster: What’s your prediction for the fight?
Clubber Lang: Prediction?
Sportscaster: Yes, prediction.
Clubber Lang: (after a long scowl into the camera) Paaain.
I thought about this exchange from Rocky III (very underrated for its one-liners) when I was watching MLB Tonight on Monday. Host Matt Yallof asked Sean Casey and Tom Verducci to make their predictions about who was going to be in the World Series. I would love to remember who the both of them picked. I am 100% sure one of them picked the Washington Nationals and about 90% sure one of them picked the Detroit Tigers.
And there lies the crux of the matter. How can one accurately pick World Series participants on February 4th? The moving trucks are packing up and there is snow on the ground indicating Winter intends to be here for a little while longer. Rosters are not even set, free agents have to be signed yet we are supposed to forecast who will be playing for it all in eight and a half months. Come the end of the season, we may not remember what Casey and Verducci will have said on September 4th, never mind February 4th. This isn’t to pick on those guys. It is a symptom of a world we live in today where we can’t let things breathe, where every other day a prediction is made about the future a month from now, three months from now or a year from now. The day after the 2012 World Series ended, how many people did you hear speculate who would be playing in the Fall Classic in 2013?
Clubber Lang and I are soul mates. We like making bold predictions and then backing them up. Image: giantbomb.com
That’s another peeve. How many predictions can a person make before we tune him or her out? If I am going to make a prediction about the upcoming season, I won’t do it until right around Opening Day. So much can happen between now and then; a big trade, a major injury or a team seems as though they gel throughout the exhibition season. If I choose to do so, I will predict playoff teams and World Series Champion at the end of March and make no other predictions until the playoffs begin. What good is my word if I say one thing in February, one in April, one in June and one in September? Last March, I was one of the few people who said the Nats would win the division. My reasoning? I didn’t like the news I kept hearing about the Phillies, I thought the Braves wouldn’t be able to recover from the 2011 collapse (which I was wrong about) and also believed the Marlins had a great chance to implode (which they eventually did). I thought the perfect storm was brewing for Washington to win the National League East. To me, I felt good about that prediction coming true not because I am a big lover of baseball (no debate) or I am a genius (plenty of debate) but because I said it once instead of waffling all Winter before settling on them. How dumb would I have looked if on January 1st after Miami made all of those moves I predicted they would win the division and then said on February 1st that I changed my mind and that the Phillies would be the team to beat only to go in another direction on March 15th by stating it was the year of the Nats?
I have a word of advice to everyone in the prediction business: wait. Wait until a week before Opening Day before making any judgements on the 2013 season. I have a lot of thoughts and beliefs on what I think will happen but I am not ready to share them yet. Again, I go back to wanting my word to mean something. I get one chance at getting my predictions right. If I am wrong on most of them, so be it. It doesn’t make me less of a fan or less knowledgable about the game if I am wrong. If most of them are correct, great although I won’t consider myself much smarter than the average fan or pundit. But that doesn’t mean I can’t do any bragging:)
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Digging The World Baseball Classic
On Thursday January 17th, the rosters were announced for the third World Baseball Classic. Beginning on March 2nd, 16 countries will compete in a tournament for international bragging rights. The Classic ends on March 19th, a mere twelve days from Opening Day. The first two times this was played in 2006 and 2009, I was indifferent. I did not watch much action and felt that having meaningful baseball played during Spring Training hampered Major League teams going into the season. However, I am warming up to this idea and am anxiously awaiting the first pitch that will be thrown in approximately six weeks.
Looking forward to meaningful baseball in March. Image: http://www.fox17online.com
While I will be rooting for the United States to win it, it is not a big deal if they don’t. This is not the Olympics where our gymnasts, swimmers, runners, ice skaters and bobsledders are competing against the rest of the world. The Olympics are THE even for these magnificent athletes. At least for USA fans, the WBC does not rank as high as the World Series or even the regular season. Yet, there is something neat about watching the world’s best play for their respective home countries. It will be great to see the best Major League players going against one another in one super-sized tournament. Teammates during the season become foes during the WBC. I would love to see Jeremy Affeldt from Team USA and Pablo Sandoval from Venezuela, World Champion teammates with the San Francisco Giants face each other in a big spot. Also appealing about the Classic is that it takes place once every four years, just like the Winter and Summer Olympics. Much like the Games, the majority of rosters will be intact for only one or two Classics. Seeing new players compete on this stage every four or eight years will keep the WBC interesting.
Will Japan make it a trifecta? Can South Korea finally knock off the champs, their record 0-4 vs. Japan? Can the United States win a medal for the first time? Much will be decided in late Winter. I just hope there are no major injuries and all the players can return to their respective teams in good health. Consider this a bonus year where we get some exciting baseball a month before the regular season begins.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Baseball Media Has Much to Explain
On Wednesday January 9th, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) did not elect a player into the Hall of Fame, the first time this has happened since 1996. It is not hard to figure out why no one will be giving an acceptance speech in Cooperstown in July. The ongoing cloud of steroid abuse kept many voters from putting in new candidates Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens and subsequently kept out Craig Biggio whose 3,060 career hits should have been a slam-dunk enshrinement. Now that this was the first referendum on the steroid issue, it is time to look at a group of people who have not been scrutinized in their role in the great performance-enhancing drug (PED) con. The group that should now have some explaining to do are the people who cover baseball for a living including those in print, in broadcasting and on the Internet.
No one gets voted in to Cooperstown in 2013. Image: http://www.mlbreports.com
Think about it, beat writers cover their respective teams from mid-February through October. They are with these guys practically every day for almost 75% of the calendar year and the two sides probably know each other better than their own families. Then there are the national columnists, including the members of the BBWA as well as television and Internet personalities, powerful individuals of the baseball media. They all spend extensive time on the road talking with beat writers as well as players and management. Are we supposed to believe that all of these members of the media, like the rest of us had an idea PED’s were running rampant but did not want to know the truth? Given the amount of time spent around players, these people had to have known who was taking steroids but did not report anything for fear of being cut off from the game they cover. That makes them just as guilty as everyone else involved in this scandal that has plagued baseball for years.
I have purposely not read or listened to reactions from the media until I was able to write this piece. I wanted my opinions to be my own and not accused of taking them from someone else. I can only imagine that those who did not vote for players based on PED suspicion or confirmed as fact are being ridiculed by their fellow press members who either did vote for or would have voted for those proven to be or suspected of steroid use. My opinion is if they have Hall of Fame numbers, then they should be voted in. If players that are clean have a problem with that, why did they not voice their displeasure to their union back when they were playing? I would have voted for Bonds, Clemens, Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro simply because their careers are good enough to get in. Besides, players such as Gaylord Perry and Whitey Ford had no trouble being selected even though they scuffed baseballs which can be argued is just as bad if not worse than PED use. However, those writers who are calling out other BBWA writers for supposedly taking a high moral ground on the steroid issue shouldn’t talk. After all, they had their own suspicions and also had to have known who was juicing. The excuse, “we had our heads buried in the sand” just doesn’t cut it. Why can’t these guys tell us who was guilty so we can put this mess behind us once and for all? If they were given information off the record, then they could write or say something like this:
“I knew there was a high level of steroid abuse in Major League Baseball. I know which players at the time were using, either by their own words or through confidential sources. I can’t reveal these names because they were given to me off the record. I would estimate that I know X amount of players who were on PED’s”.
While the Mitchell Report names 89 players, you can bet the list doesn’t end there. The real answers could have been provided by the people who actually cover the game. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that they let us down then with shoddy non-reporting and let us down now by not putting anyone into the Hall of Fame. Should we trust these guys with any kind of information from now on? The baseball media struck out with their non-coverage of this issue and their attempts to rectify the past are too little, too late.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
