Month: November 2005

I’m sure most baseball fans have heard of the online auction of the items left from the destruction of Busch Stadium.  While no figure has been released (the auction site says 889,000 but it’s probably more than that), it’s sure that they will raise more money than any other such auction. 

Hey, I’m a big Albert Pujols fan but 21,000 bucks for his locker?  Most likely bought by some high-class sports bar so they can display it. 

I took the time to head to Lelands.com.  They are the online auction firm who is “the Industry Leader in Sports and Americana Memorabilia” and the ones who handled the Busch auction.

Pujols’ locker?  Here’s a look at it..

 

The urinal seemed to get a lot a press play from the media too. 

 

It went for around $2100.  The Pujols locker was at least signed.

Here is the link to browse items from the Busch Farewell Auction.

 

 

Ichiro had a few words of discontent regarding the Mariners.

 

Well, actually there was.  The vote was close (378-351).  Andruw Jones and his 51 homeruns gave Albert a run for his money. 

Pujols was humble in victory:

 ”A lot of the fans and even the players, they missed Barry,” Pujols said of the seven-time MVP, who had won the previous four seasons. “I wished he would have been healthy and played.”

Through 5 years, Pujols has averaged 40 homers, 124 ribbies, and a .332 batting average. 

He may only have been out of the starting gates only 5 years but my gut feeling tells me that barring major injury or scandal, this man will be speaking in front of many people in Cooperstown when his time comes.

Time will tell.

 

 

No clever headlines about Colon showing “intestinal fortitude”. 

I expected Bartolo to take the prize but I didn’t expect him to run away with it.  He was the clear winner at almost a two-to-one margin (118-68).  And I certainly didn’t expect Mariano Rivera be the runner-up.  I’m showing my bias here.  No, I don’t mean my anti-Yankee bias.  I’m talking voting for relievers for Cy Young.  I don’t believe in voting for someone who pitched 78 innings, no matter how well, for Cy Young.  Eight New Yorkers voters thought Rivera was the best pitcher in the AL and gave him a first place vote.  Sorry, I don’t buy it.

Anyway, I’m surprised Mark Buehrle didn’t get a few more votes.  He ended up with 5 third place votes. 

 

 

I don’t think this was a big surprise to anyone. 

Clemens had probably the best stretch of eight or nine games ever pitched since the days of Gibson but he was plagued by incredibly bad run support by the Astros which explains his 13-8 record despite his 1.87 ERA.  The other major contender Dontrell Willis did have one more win and did have a slightly lower ERA (2.63 to 2.83) but considerably lower winning percentage (.688 to .808) and less strikeouts (170 to 213).

But I could quote stats to you till I’m blue in face but you and I know that once we get to the “A” list, stats aren’t what it’s about when deciding awards like Cy Young and MVP.  Carp won the Cy Young because he played for a contending team or more precisely, the team he was on was a contending team was in part, because he was pitching for them.  Carpenter played an important part in the Cardinals playoff run.  Something Willis, despite how well he pitched, can’t claim.

 

Bud Selig is treading dangerous waters here.  He hinted that at the GM meetings, they would discuss reviewing the record books in light of the steroid scandal.  But he seemed to step back from that as soon as he suggested it.  The actual quote:

 “The whole record thing is on table — after we get this cleaned up, we can look at that,” said Selig, who continues to lobby the players union for a stricter steroid-testing program – and emphasized again that he will support Congressional legislation in lieu of an agreement with the players. “I’m not saying we will do anything because there doesn’t seem to be a practical way of doing anything about it.”

Bud seems to be borrowing from Karl Rove’s strategy book.  Suggest an unpopular or radical idea then retract it or imply that may not be possible. But the job is done.  He’s put the idea in people’s minds as a conceivable action. 

Maybe I’m wrong but most serious baseball fans are against this.  The idea of re-writing baseball history can have dangerous implications and could start some bad precedents.  Where this could go is anyone’s guess. 

Another baseball mecca has met its doom.  On Monday, the demolition of Busch Stadium has begun. 

Whenever anything like this happens, I cringe.  I think of the history, the memories that go with it.  I think of Ebbets Field which now just has a plaque where it once stood.  I think of Wrigley Field and one day when politicians and corporate executives who will eventually see it as out of date and schedule it for the same fate as Busch.

But surprisingly, I hear a different tune from at least some die-hard Cardinal fans.  They say the park is falling apart.  They say that it’s difficult to get a good view of the game.  They say the amenities are lacking. 

So do I cry a tear for Busch Stadium?  Well, yes.  I do.  I’ve been to Busch more than any stadium other than Wrigley.  Despite the complaints from the ungrateful Cardinal fans (just kidding, guys, I love ya) I had a great time. 

But progress is progress, I guess.  Do it right the first time though.