- I can't believe that the Yankees sat back at the trading deadline and didn't upgrade their pitching. Now I know that Bartolo Colon is a surprising 8-6, Freddy Garcia is a surprising 10-7 and Ivan Nova is a surprising 9-4, but I don't think any other GM would feel comfortable knowing that two of them will have to pitch games 3-4, following a would-be Game 2 start by AJ Burnett.
- I think I like Nicki Minaj
- Sounders had a stinker at Houston on Saturday. I am going to chalk it up as 'one of those games' even though they have now lost 3 in row in all competitions. If they fail to advance in CONCACAF Champions League after playing San Francisco of Panama on Wednesday then I might be more worried. But for now, it is only one MLS loss in the last 10. Oh, wait, I just saw that they have to travel to KC over the weekend. They are 2-0 on the road against KC in their history, but KC is undefeated in their new palace. Should be a test of our resolve.
- My men's soccer team played one of the four Emerald City Supporters' teams on Sunday. We walked away with a 1-0 win even though we played the last 15 minutes with only 9 men. After the match, I talked to not only the current president of the ECS, but also the founder. They were really nice dudes and it mae me happy when I learned that I had been a Sounders supporter for longer than the president. Anyways, the guy offers me a cigarette no more than 10 minutes after the game. How did he not die?
- Somebody tell him who the eff I is
- Does anyone care about the X Games still? Is it me or is ESPN putting a lot less into coverage. BTW- this is the 17th edition. Man I am getting old.
- Gotta give ESPN some credit for the amount of soccer they are showing on Sportscenter. I'm still not sold that all the anchors are taking it seriously, but in the last two week I have seen Copa America highlights, Man United-Barca highlights and something like a 5-minute piece on Bob Bradley's firing. We're getting there people.
- Sounders might have lost, but wow did it feel good watching Portland throw away a 2-0 home lead against the worst team in the league. Goals in the 71st and 81st minutes gave Toronto FD a wonder-tie.
- I know the Mets finished their 7 game road trip with a 5-2 record [UPDATE - I was wrong, it was actually 6-4], but I can't help but feel like we missed a golden opportunity in 3-0 and 3-2 losses to Washington. I don't expect them to score 8 runs every night, but those were both winnable games if the offense had shown up.
- The Devils agreed to a 1-year, $6 million contract with Zach Parise on Friday. It is good news for the coming year, but I can't help but wonder what is holding up the long-term contract. I mean, with the gift the Islanders gave us in taking Rolston and his $4 million contract off our hands, they probably have somewhere around $7.5-$8 million in cap space. I have a feeling Lou is trying to lowball him because of his injury last year and the deal was made so Zach can show the team what he has. If that is the case and Parise returns to his normal form, Lou HAS to pay up. The precedent is there in what he did for Kovy and the fact is that Parise is more valuable to this franchise.
- Thanks to my boys Irish Mike and D-Lib (not to mention an empty house for 5 days), I have been playing a lot more of FIFA soccer over the past few days. I have now taken my Northhampton Town FC team from Division 3 to Division in two season and now have my eye on the EPL.
- I learned a great trick for getting oil based paint off your hands - olive oil and salt. Worked like a charm.
- Good drama in the Detroit-Anaheim game. Carlos Guillen hit a home run off of Jered Weaver, admired his shot and threw the bat. Weaver didn't like it, threw (at the head nonetheless) at the next batter and got tossed. In the 8th inning, with the score 3-0, Eric Aybar laid down a bunt in the midst of a Justin Verlander no-hit bid. He got on by error and two batters later, Macier Izturis broke up the no-no. After the game, Verlander was asked if he was surprised or upset by the bunt. He said that there were arguments both ways, but from a pitchers standpoint, it's called bush league. Now I have opined on this in the past so my feelings are well know, but let me say them again: in the words of Herm Edwards, "You Play to Win the Game!" The score was 3-0 at the time, not 8-0. If Anaheim could get two runners on, then they could tie with a home run. They are fighting with Texas for the AL West crown and all games, including those in late July count towards the final standing. Aybar doesn't owe Verland anything - he is there to play the game. In my mind, bunting is absolutely legit in a 3-0 game.
- So Plaxico Burress, after not having played in a competitive NFL game since 2008 is going to get $3 million to play for the Jets? Am I missing something? I mean, do they really think he is the same player after having been in jail? Add in a short pre-season and there is no way he gets more than 600 yards this season.
- The Red Bulls went over to England to compete in the Emirates Cup this weekend. They beat PSG and then tied Arsenal. It was a nice accomplishment, but I can't help think that they continue to have their priorities all mixed up. I mean, here is a team that in 16 years has never won a trophy. I get that with Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez they want to become a global brand, but wouldn't it be better done if they were to win the CONCACAF Champions League and play competitively against the like of Barcelona and Santos? Winning the US Open Cup would not only get them into the competition next year, but it would give the beleaguered fan base a trophy to carry around. Yet instead, they fielded a C-team in the Open Cup and flew overseas in the middle of the MLS season to play in a pre-season friendly against Arsenal. I get the Henry connection, but it seems sill to me.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Random Thoughts..
The Wife and Kid were out of town this weekend, so I spent most of my time doing things that can't get done when they are around...you know, cleaning the grill, painting a room, cleaning the garage, and of course playing video games. It was a great weekend - one with a lot of sports news. I don't have a long post in me, but rather a lot of random thoughts. As always, let's get to it:
Friday, July 29, 2011
NFL Free Agency Frenzy
As expected it has been a crazy few days in the NFL. I don't claim to be an expert on pro football anymore, but I do have some thoughts on the mayhem. Let's get to it:
Eagles: They traded Kolb to Arizona for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and then added the prize of the free agent class, Nmandi Asomugha...to suggest their defense is a lot more scary is an understatement. To me, though, the most interesting move was signing Vince Young to be Michael Vick's back-up. I'm not sure if this is going to work. I mean, Young is a headcase and I'm still not convinced that Vick is the changed man everyone thinks he is. If he truly has changed, then this might be an amazing situation for Vince, but then again, this is Philly, where fans boo their own mothers.
Panthers: I am just so stoked to have renounced my rooting interests...I can't handle supporting a team with Cam Newton and Jimmy Claussen as it's QB's. On the free agent front, they probably overpaid DE Charles Johnson, but it's a decision I could live with. What is baffling, though, is throwing a ton of money at DeAngelo Williams, Thomas Davis and Olindo Mare (3year, $12 million??). I know two of the guys I noted are from Georgia, but this was a silly signing spree.
Tennessee: Going all Seattle with the signing of Matt Hasselbeck to tutor Jake Locker. Locker needs to sit to start the year...Mattie Ice should be the perfect guy to learn from.
Miami: My one Dolphins' friend is not pleased with the Matt Moore signing and really he shouldn't be. I was in his corner at the beginning of the 2010 season, but he is no upgrade over Chad Henne. They are losing both Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown and replacing them with Reggie Bush? I am a huge Bush fan, but does anyone still think he can be an every down back? This is not going to end well.
New England: Jason Whitlock is calling Bill Belichek arrogant in thinking that he can turn around Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth, but I think both are worthwhile gambles. I love Ochocinco and just like Randy Moss before him, I think he will fall in line with the Patriots way. I know the previous regime didn't end well, but let's not forget how the first few years went. As for Haynesworth? Who knows if he can fit into the 3-4 in NE..if yes, they will have a nasty combo with Wilfork..if no, they can just cut him.
New Orleans: Loved what they did in signing Darren Sproles to go along with Mark Ingram. He is a big upgrade and can do more than Bush.
Arizona: In 2011 I am not sold on Kevin Kolb, which is funny because I was totally sold on him in 2010. Now, I realize that anyone is better than Derek Anderson, but they spent a lot of money on a guy who has started only 7 games. If they messed up in giving him the reigns to the franchise, they will be right back in the cellar. A key decision in the Ken Whisenhunt era.
Seahawks: In the course of three days, Seattle spent big money on QB Tarvaris Jackson, WR Sidney Rice and G Robert Gallery. I decided that I would let Seahawks fans get the first say on this one and here is what they think:
Eagles: They traded Kolb to Arizona for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and then added the prize of the free agent class, Nmandi Asomugha...to suggest their defense is a lot more scary is an understatement. To me, though, the most interesting move was signing Vince Young to be Michael Vick's back-up. I'm not sure if this is going to work. I mean, Young is a headcase and I'm still not convinced that Vick is the changed man everyone thinks he is. If he truly has changed, then this might be an amazing situation for Vince, but then again, this is Philly, where fans boo their own mothers.
Panthers: I am just so stoked to have renounced my rooting interests...I can't handle supporting a team with Cam Newton and Jimmy Claussen as it's QB's. On the free agent front, they probably overpaid DE Charles Johnson, but it's a decision I could live with. What is baffling, though, is throwing a ton of money at DeAngelo Williams, Thomas Davis and Olindo Mare (3year, $12 million??). I know two of the guys I noted are from Georgia, but this was a silly signing spree.
Tennessee: Going all Seattle with the signing of Matt Hasselbeck to tutor Jake Locker. Locker needs to sit to start the year...Mattie Ice should be the perfect guy to learn from.
Miami: My one Dolphins' friend is not pleased with the Matt Moore signing and really he shouldn't be. I was in his corner at the beginning of the 2010 season, but he is no upgrade over Chad Henne. They are losing both Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown and replacing them with Reggie Bush? I am a huge Bush fan, but does anyone still think he can be an every down back? This is not going to end well.
New England: Jason Whitlock is calling Bill Belichek arrogant in thinking that he can turn around Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth, but I think both are worthwhile gambles. I love Ochocinco and just like Randy Moss before him, I think he will fall in line with the Patriots way. I know the previous regime didn't end well, but let's not forget how the first few years went. As for Haynesworth? Who knows if he can fit into the 3-4 in NE..if yes, they will have a nasty combo with Wilfork..if no, they can just cut him.
New Orleans: Loved what they did in signing Darren Sproles to go along with Mark Ingram. He is a big upgrade and can do more than Bush.
Arizona: In 2011 I am not sold on Kevin Kolb, which is funny because I was totally sold on him in 2010. Now, I realize that anyone is better than Derek Anderson, but they spent a lot of money on a guy who has started only 7 games. If they messed up in giving him the reigns to the franchise, they will be right back in the cellar. A key decision in the Ken Whisenhunt era.
Seahawks: In the course of three days, Seattle spent big money on QB Tarvaris Jackson, WR Sidney Rice and G Robert Gallery. I decided that I would let Seahawks fans get the first say on this one and here is what they think:
- Irish Mike: I'm not happy about the Jackson signing. Tavaris Jackson is a bust, he had probably THE best offensive line in football, some of the best wide receivers in football and one of the top two running backs in the game and he still underwhelmed. Any other QB would have looked like a stud, and yet he went 10-10 with the Vikings. Sounds like the new offensive coordinator Bevell has the serious hots for this washout.
- J-Will: I will say that I think Pete gets a lot more out of players (Mike Williams for example) then other coaches. I am not a huge expert on the Vikings, but Childress does
not appear to me to be an inspiring coach and Minnesota can not be considered a stable place to develop a QB. So of all the places for Tavaris to excel, I think under Pete is as good as any. So there are my positives. Negatives: as Mike pointed out he had a great line
(anchored by a former Seahawk, but let's not get into that), and a couple of good RBs and WRs. So if surrounding a QB with good players could have lead to success, i think we would have seen it by now. Seeing that Bevell was at Minnesota makes me think he has to have some insight and influence into this deal.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Re-Evaluating Carlos Beltran
I have always been the first person to get on Carlos Beltran's case. No matter how well he played, in my mind he never earned the 7 year, $119 million contract that he signed in 2005. And yet today, with the news that Beltran was officially traded to San Francisco for RHP prospect Zach Wheeler, I can't help but feel a little sad. (btw - check out my previous entry to see how even a bling squirrel sometimes finds a nut)
It's not entirely surprising. I mean, we always value those in our lives more once they are gone. I always took Beltran for granted and now that he is gone, I am re-thinking my stance on him.
The bottom line is this - Beltran ranks as probably one of the top 3 position players in Mets history. He ranks 17th in number of games played, yet is 6th in home runs, doubles, rbi, on-base percentage and slugging. In terms of Wins Above Replacement, he is 2nd, ahead of Wright, Piazza, Reyes and trailing only Strawberry. While his first season was below standards (.266, 16 hr, 78 rbi) over the course of the first four seasons he averaged 29 hr, 104 rbi, 21 sb, hit .275 and won 3 Gold Gloves. His best season was 2006 when he had 41 hr, 116 rbi, 38 doubles and .594 slugging.
Unfortunately, the 2006 was not only his best season in Queens, but also the season when he didn't swing. All Mets fans know what I'm talking about - down 3-1 with runners on 2nd and 3rd in the bottom of the 9th of Game 7 of NLCS, Beltran struck out looking. Looking back, it is unfair to blame the loss on him (after all, they could only muster 2 freaking hits off of Jeff Suppan through 7 innings), but at the time it stung. Hell, it still stings. I mean, the 97-win Mets choked against a team that barely had a winning record during the regular season. The Mets took over NYC during the regular season and had the chance to turn the tides on the Yankees and they choked. The image of Beltran looking remains in my memory to date.
In all, it is just a microcosm of Beltran's time in Queens. No matter what he did, I always wanted more. In addition to stellar play on the field, he never got in trouble off of it and he never lashed out at the press. in reality, he did everything we could have asked for him. yet at the end of the day, I always felt like he wasn't trying, that he didn't care and that he never wanted to be the face of the franchise. When things were going good, he was there. When things turned south, only Wright was willing to step up.
On top of his effort, his personality just never did it for me. We always talk about certain players not being able to handle NYC. When Beltran signed, some suggested he wouldn't be able to last because all he knew up to that point was Kansas City and Houston. Yet others predicted success because of his faith and solid family life. It turned out that he was totally able to handle the city. He was quiet, respectful and never got flustered. And yet, he never had the personality of a Hernandez, Dykstra, Backman or any other member of the eclectic 1986 Mets.
Of course you knew I was going to mention the 86 Mets. It will always be the measuring stick for all Mets teams, yet it is so unfair because there will never be another team like this. Never will that blend of personalities be able to succeed. Never will a team be able to abuse drugs, alcohol and women in another way. Never. And yet, we want all our teams to be like them. The 2000 Mets came the closest and yet they couldn't get by the Yanks. The 2006 Mets had the chance but they blew it. And Beltran got blamed.
So what is the final word on Beltran's tenure in NYC? In one word: incomplete. Beltran helped lead the team to the NL East crown. You can count the number of division crowns on one hand, so in a way, his signing was well worth it. Yet, with all the talent and hope, he never led the team past the NLCS. Hell, he never led them to the playoffs again and then had season altering injuries in 2009 and 2010.
Coming into the season, the best case scenario was for Beltran to remain healthy, play well and get traded at the deadline. He not only did both, but he also agreed to move to RF to avoid a controversy. He did everything that was asked of him and in return, he is going to get another decent contract and the Mets were able to get a highly touted pitching prospect. Again, he did all that was asked of him, the only difference now is that I am content with it.
Best of luck in San Fran, Carlos. Thanks for your 7 years in blue and orange.
It's not entirely surprising. I mean, we always value those in our lives more once they are gone. I always took Beltran for granted and now that he is gone, I am re-thinking my stance on him.
The bottom line is this - Beltran ranks as probably one of the top 3 position players in Mets history. He ranks 17th in number of games played, yet is 6th in home runs, doubles, rbi, on-base percentage and slugging. In terms of Wins Above Replacement, he is 2nd, ahead of Wright, Piazza, Reyes and trailing only Strawberry. While his first season was below standards (.266, 16 hr, 78 rbi) over the course of the first four seasons he averaged 29 hr, 104 rbi, 21 sb, hit .275 and won 3 Gold Gloves. His best season was 2006 when he had 41 hr, 116 rbi, 38 doubles and .594 slugging.
Unfortunately, the 2006 was not only his best season in Queens, but also the season when he didn't swing. All Mets fans know what I'm talking about - down 3-1 with runners on 2nd and 3rd in the bottom of the 9th of Game 7 of NLCS, Beltran struck out looking. Looking back, it is unfair to blame the loss on him (after all, they could only muster 2 freaking hits off of Jeff Suppan through 7 innings), but at the time it stung. Hell, it still stings. I mean, the 97-win Mets choked against a team that barely had a winning record during the regular season. The Mets took over NYC during the regular season and had the chance to turn the tides on the Yankees and they choked. The image of Beltran looking remains in my memory to date.
In all, it is just a microcosm of Beltran's time in Queens. No matter what he did, I always wanted more. In addition to stellar play on the field, he never got in trouble off of it and he never lashed out at the press. in reality, he did everything we could have asked for him. yet at the end of the day, I always felt like he wasn't trying, that he didn't care and that he never wanted to be the face of the franchise. When things were going good, he was there. When things turned south, only Wright was willing to step up.
On top of his effort, his personality just never did it for me. We always talk about certain players not being able to handle NYC. When Beltran signed, some suggested he wouldn't be able to last because all he knew up to that point was Kansas City and Houston. Yet others predicted success because of his faith and solid family life. It turned out that he was totally able to handle the city. He was quiet, respectful and never got flustered. And yet, he never had the personality of a Hernandez, Dykstra, Backman or any other member of the eclectic 1986 Mets.
Of course you knew I was going to mention the 86 Mets. It will always be the measuring stick for all Mets teams, yet it is so unfair because there will never be another team like this. Never will that blend of personalities be able to succeed. Never will a team be able to abuse drugs, alcohol and women in another way. Never. And yet, we want all our teams to be like them. The 2000 Mets came the closest and yet they couldn't get by the Yanks. The 2006 Mets had the chance but they blew it. And Beltran got blamed.
So what is the final word on Beltran's tenure in NYC? In one word: incomplete. Beltran helped lead the team to the NL East crown. You can count the number of division crowns on one hand, so in a way, his signing was well worth it. Yet, with all the talent and hope, he never led the team past the NLCS. Hell, he never led them to the playoffs again and then had season altering injuries in 2009 and 2010.
Coming into the season, the best case scenario was for Beltran to remain healthy, play well and get traded at the deadline. He not only did both, but he also agreed to move to RF to avoid a controversy. He did everything that was asked of him and in return, he is going to get another decent contract and the Mets were able to get a highly touted pitching prospect. Again, he did all that was asked of him, the only difference now is that I am content with it.
Best of luck in San Fran, Carlos. Thanks for your 7 years in blue and orange.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Best Case Beltran Trade Scenario's
My boy JWM asked me to write on what my preferred Carlos Beltran trades would be - specifically, he asked that I "be specific; no maybe they'll get some draft picks or prospects. Tell me which prospects you would look at and what type of pick. Or give the top deals you want made as a fan (more on the unrealistic side) and the top deals you think could actually happen (realistic)."
So here's the thing - nothing annoys me more than reading posts about trading Daniel Murphy, Scott Hairston and Fernando Martinez to St Louis for Albert Pujols. Unrealistic trades rumors do nothing for me. So I will only attempt to rank my top realistic trades...
The problem with that is that unfortunately I know little to nothing about prospects from other organizations, so I will only go with some rumors that I have heard.
A few notes before we begin. First, pitching is more important to me than hitting. I read one writer suggest that since pitching will be abundant in the next few years that they should focus on hitting instead. I couldn't disagree more - they need pitching because they don't have any in the organization outside of Matt Harvey and Jennry Mejia who is out for the entire year. Second, trading him out of the division would be preferable. I mean, even if he goes to Philly it will only be a rental, but still...he'll be in Philly. Third, even though Adam Rubin is reporting that none of the interested teams will be giving up their top prospect, I am going under the impression that someone will panic and pull the trigger.
Without further ado, here is my list:
So where does he end up going? No one knows right now, but the theory I like the most is that Philly buckles and gives up their best prospect not named Dom Brown. They are probably feeling pretty good about where they sit right now, but I don't think they can sit back at the deadline and not add a bat. I am not sold on Hunter Pence or BJ Upton being the guy, so Beltran is the obvious fit. It would be the last move in a season where all their chips are all in. The team is built to win in the short term and this would push them over the top. A World Series title is definitely worth it.
So here's the thing - nothing annoys me more than reading posts about trading Daniel Murphy, Scott Hairston and Fernando Martinez to St Louis for Albert Pujols. Unrealistic trades rumors do nothing for me. So I will only attempt to rank my top realistic trades...
The problem with that is that unfortunately I know little to nothing about prospects from other organizations, so I will only go with some rumors that I have heard.
A few notes before we begin. First, pitching is more important to me than hitting. I read one writer suggest that since pitching will be abundant in the next few years that they should focus on hitting instead. I couldn't disagree more - they need pitching because they don't have any in the organization outside of Matt Harvey and Jennry Mejia who is out for the entire year. Second, trading him out of the division would be preferable. I mean, even if he goes to Philly it will only be a rental, but still...he'll be in Philly. Third, even though Adam Rubin is reporting that none of the interested teams will be giving up their top prospect, I am going under the impression that someone will panic and pull the trigger.
Without further ado, here is my list:
- San Francisco for top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler (#57 in 2011 Baseball America pre-season prospects). In order to do this trade as with many others, they will have to eat all of Beltran's salary. He fits all my criteria - 20 year old pitcher, outside of the division.
- Atlanta for top pitching prospect Mike Minor (#37). Beltran might be staying within the division, but Minor is a lefty who is already in the big leagues and could help instantly.
- Atlanta for top pitching prospect Julio Teheran (#5). Again, Beltran stays in the division, but I don't think Alderson would blink an eye. Teheran is a 19 year old right handed pitcher ranked as the #5 prospect. The only reason Minor ranks above him is the immediate impact he would make as compared to Teheran who is likely to come up late 2012.
- Philadelphia for top outfield prospect Domonic Brown (#4). This doesn't exactly fit any of the critiera - Beltran stays in the division and they don't get an arm, but with Beltran gone, Pagan soon gone and Bay simply lost, they need someone to challenge Fernando Martinez, Lucas Duda and Jason Pridie.
- Texas for top pitching prospect Martin Perez (#24). Perez is 19 years old and a lefty. Texas is in the AL. It would be a perfect trade for the Mets, but probably the most unrealistic of the bunch. While Texas is all of a sudden crazy deep with pitching, they are not going to mortgage the future. AND Texas is in the AL, so Beltran likely won't waive his no-trade clause.
So where does he end up going? No one knows right now, but the theory I like the most is that Philly buckles and gives up their best prospect not named Dom Brown. They are probably feeling pretty good about where they sit right now, but I don't think they can sit back at the deadline and not add a bat. I am not sold on Hunter Pence or BJ Upton being the guy, so Beltran is the obvious fit. It would be the last move in a season where all their chips are all in. The team is built to win in the short term and this would push them over the top. A World Series title is definitely worth it.
My Thoughts on the Weather
While the rest of the country continues to swelter with 100 degree weather, we continue to have normal March weather...in July. Seattlites have every right to complain about it - I mean, it's bad enough that we don't see the sun from October to March...but in July too? Come on, seems a bit unfair.
And yet, I don't find myself pissed off about it. I know that I just got home from Hawaii a week ago and have had my fill of sunshine, so maybe I'm not the best person to talk about it, but in general I am perfectly fine with our weather. I mean, it could be worse. We could be experiencing 100 degree weather right now (and with no AC mind you). We could be in the middle of hurricane season. We could be having tornadoes or earthquakes. Come January we could be buried in 5 feet of snow. Yes the weather should be nicer, but I can't help but think it could be a lot worse.
If anything, crappy weather makes days of beautiful weather even more special. Think about how you feel when the sun is shining - if you're like me, you can't even focus on work. I loved being on vacation but by the end of the trip I actually began taking the weather for granted. Then I came back to Seattle and realized what I was missing.
It is 4:33 PM in Seattle right now and the sun is shining into my office. I am excited to go outside and play some soccer in the sun for the next 30 minutes. I will enjoy every moment because I might not see it again until Friday...but no complaints cause it could be worse.
And yet, I don't find myself pissed off about it. I know that I just got home from Hawaii a week ago and have had my fill of sunshine, so maybe I'm not the best person to talk about it, but in general I am perfectly fine with our weather. I mean, it could be worse. We could be experiencing 100 degree weather right now (and with no AC mind you). We could be in the middle of hurricane season. We could be having tornadoes or earthquakes. Come January we could be buried in 5 feet of snow. Yes the weather should be nicer, but I can't help but think it could be a lot worse.
If anything, crappy weather makes days of beautiful weather even more special. Think about how you feel when the sun is shining - if you're like me, you can't even focus on work. I loved being on vacation but by the end of the trip I actually began taking the weather for granted. Then I came back to Seattle and realized what I was missing.
It is 4:33 PM in Seattle right now and the sun is shining into my office. I am excited to go outside and play some soccer in the sun for the next 30 minutes. I will enjoy every moment because I might not see it again until Friday...but no complaints cause it could be worse.
Monday, July 25, 2011
All is Wright Now That He is Back
I am loving that David Wright is back. By all shadow of a doubt, he is my favorite current Mets player and has probably surpassed both HoJo and Mike Piazza in terms of all-time favoritism. When Wright was out for 57 games, it just didn't feel right. Sure, the team was overachieving - winning with not just Reyes and Beltran but with Justin Turner, Dillon Gee, Daniel Murphy, Josh Thole and Ruben Tejada - but without Wright, I felt a little dirty rooting for them. I mean, if they were winning without him, then there are some obvious conclusions that can be drawn. What if Wright was indeed the problem and instead of moving Reyes they would be better off moving him?
Simply mentioning that sentence makes me sick. I have said it before and I'll say it again - I know I can't think rationally when it comes to Wright. I'd like to still think that Wright can be part of the solution - that he is not only the top third baseman in the league, but a player that can bring a championship to Queens. I honestly believe this and am happy to have him back in the lineup.
Now I know he will go through his tough spells - he is no longer than same player from 4 years ago that would take what the pitcher gave him and go to the opposite field. He is pulling the ball more, striking out more and solely trying to drive in runs. Yet, at the end of the day, I don't think there is any other third baseman I would want on my team. Not Longoria. Not Zimmerman. Not Beltre. Not A-Rod. AND there is no other player I want leading my team. I love that he grew up a Mets fan. I love that he takes losing personally. I simply love him.
Now I know it is only early, but the returns have been good. In 4 games since his return, Wright is 8-19 with 3 doubles, 1 home run and 6 rbi. He is on fire, but unfortunately the Mets are only 2-2.
If both he and Reyes can stay healthy for the rest of the year AND if both Justin Turner and Daniel Murphy continue hitting well then this will continue to be a fun team to support (even after they trade Beltran later this week - something I will write about at another time). I am loving what Murphy is doing - hitting .308 with 26 doubles and 44 rbi while playing 40 games at 1b, 23 games at 2b, 26 games at 3b and 1 game in Left Field. I had high hopes for him, but not even I could have dreamed of this. With the unfortunate season-ending injury that Ike Davis suffered, it is a blessing to have Murphy and his ever-improving glove in the line-up for us. As for Turner - he was behind both Brad Emaus and Murphy entering the year but is now firmly entrenched in the 2-hole and hitting .277 on the year. I can't even say how pleasant a surprise he has been because I hadn't even heard of him coming into the year.
So yeah, this team is only 51-51, but with Wright back and Reyes continuing to kill the ball, the remainder of the season is bound to be good.
Simply mentioning that sentence makes me sick. I have said it before and I'll say it again - I know I can't think rationally when it comes to Wright. I'd like to still think that Wright can be part of the solution - that he is not only the top third baseman in the league, but a player that can bring a championship to Queens. I honestly believe this and am happy to have him back in the lineup.
Now I know he will go through his tough spells - he is no longer than same player from 4 years ago that would take what the pitcher gave him and go to the opposite field. He is pulling the ball more, striking out more and solely trying to drive in runs. Yet, at the end of the day, I don't think there is any other third baseman I would want on my team. Not Longoria. Not Zimmerman. Not Beltre. Not A-Rod. AND there is no other player I want leading my team. I love that he grew up a Mets fan. I love that he takes losing personally. I simply love him.
Now I know it is only early, but the returns have been good. In 4 games since his return, Wright is 8-19 with 3 doubles, 1 home run and 6 rbi. He is on fire, but unfortunately the Mets are only 2-2.
If both he and Reyes can stay healthy for the rest of the year AND if both Justin Turner and Daniel Murphy continue hitting well then this will continue to be a fun team to support (even after they trade Beltran later this week - something I will write about at another time). I am loving what Murphy is doing - hitting .308 with 26 doubles and 44 rbi while playing 40 games at 1b, 23 games at 2b, 26 games at 3b and 1 game in Left Field. I had high hopes for him, but not even I could have dreamed of this. With the unfortunate season-ending injury that Ike Davis suffered, it is a blessing to have Murphy and his ever-improving glove in the line-up for us. As for Turner - he was behind both Brad Emaus and Murphy entering the year but is now firmly entrenched in the 2-hole and hitting .277 on the year. I can't even say how pleasant a surprise he has been because I hadn't even heard of him coming into the year.
So yeah, this team is only 51-51, but with Wright back and Reyes continuing to kill the ball, the remainder of the season is bound to be good.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
15 and Counting...
When I left work on Friday, the Mariners had lost 12 games in a row. Since I didn't have any time to blog about it over that night I secretly hoped that they would get swept by the Red Sox at Fenway so that I could talk about the absurdity of a 15 game losing streak come Sunday night. Well, wouldn't you know it - they allowed this blog post to be timely and lost #15 in a row.
There are so many things one could say about the streak, but the one that sticks out to me is the pitching that this team has. If your team is lucky enough to have a bonafied ace in your rotation, then you know every fifth day your team has a wonderful shot at winning. It doesn't matter if the team loses 3 or 4 in a row - aces stop losing streaks. The Mariners not only have the 2010 AL Cy Young Award Winner King Felix, but Michael Pineda looks like a future ace as well.
Bottom line - over the 15 game losing streak, these guys both pitched 3 times which means Seattle should have won at least 3-4 of those games. It is absolutely shocking that neither pitcher has stepped up during the streak and willed the team to a win.
Prior to the streak, King Felix was 8-7 with a 3.22 ERA while Pineda was 8-5 with a 2.58 ERA. During the streak, King Felix is 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA while Pineda is 0-2 with a 11.00 ERA. To me that is the most shocking thing.
With that being said, let's take a closer at the ineptness during the streak. We all know about their offensive woes - ranked 30th in MLB in runs, batting average, slugging and on-base percentage. During the streak the team is hitting .226 with 31 extra-base hits and Ichiro is hitting .225. The have scored a total of 40 runs. It's simply dreadful. However, as you could probably guess, their pitching hasn't been much better, giving up 87 runs. Their starters have an ERA of 6.00 while their bullpen has an ERA of 5.65.
It has been a perfect storm of terribly consistent hitting and horrid pitching that has taken the team from 2.5 games out of 1st (43-43) to 14.5 games out of first (43-58). I don't call myself a Mariners fan, but I thought at the very least this team could be exciting to watch with Pineda, Dustin Ackley, Justin Smoak and of course King Felix. Right now, they are nothing more than a pathetic joke. And to those who want to get rid of another manager, I want to tell you to stop. Eric Wedge is a fine manager who is doing the best with what he was given by Jack Z...this team has some bright spots, but overall it is wretched.
There are so many things one could say about the streak, but the one that sticks out to me is the pitching that this team has. If your team is lucky enough to have a bonafied ace in your rotation, then you know every fifth day your team has a wonderful shot at winning. It doesn't matter if the team loses 3 or 4 in a row - aces stop losing streaks. The Mariners not only have the 2010 AL Cy Young Award Winner King Felix, but Michael Pineda looks like a future ace as well.
Bottom line - over the 15 game losing streak, these guys both pitched 3 times which means Seattle should have won at least 3-4 of those games. It is absolutely shocking that neither pitcher has stepped up during the streak and willed the team to a win.
Prior to the streak, King Felix was 8-7 with a 3.22 ERA while Pineda was 8-5 with a 2.58 ERA. During the streak, King Felix is 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA while Pineda is 0-2 with a 11.00 ERA. To me that is the most shocking thing.
With that being said, let's take a closer at the ineptness during the streak. We all know about their offensive woes - ranked 30th in MLB in runs, batting average, slugging and on-base percentage. During the streak the team is hitting .226 with 31 extra-base hits and Ichiro is hitting .225. The have scored a total of 40 runs. It's simply dreadful. However, as you could probably guess, their pitching hasn't been much better, giving up 87 runs. Their starters have an ERA of 6.00 while their bullpen has an ERA of 5.65.
It has been a perfect storm of terribly consistent hitting and horrid pitching that has taken the team from 2.5 games out of 1st (43-43) to 14.5 games out of first (43-58). I don't call myself a Mariners fan, but I thought at the very least this team could be exciting to watch with Pineda, Dustin Ackley, Justin Smoak and of course King Felix. Right now, they are nothing more than a pathetic joke. And to those who want to get rid of another manager, I want to tell you to stop. Eric Wedge is a fine manager who is doing the best with what he was given by Jack Z...this team has some bright spots, but overall it is wretched.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)