Author: The Baseball Zealot

Fireworks spark Encarnacion injury

Sounds like Blue Jay Edwin Encarnacion suffered a facial injury in a fireworks accident over the New Year’s holiday down in the D.R.

Encarnacion suffered first- and second-degree burns in the forehead and the right side of his face when a rocket firecracker hit him in the jaw and exploded near his mouth while celebrating with family in his home of La Romana.

Every off season, it seems there is one freak accident that affects a major league ballplayer.  1999 Moises Alou, anyone?  In Encarnacion’s case it doesn’t seem too serious, though. 

Hopefully, it won’t mess with his pretty face.  Other than that, it doesn’t sound like it will affect his baseball playing abilities and he won’t require surgery.  The 27 year old will be back as new by spring training.

Wildcat Lacrosse team edges ‘05 White Sox for “Team of the Decade” in online poll

Some things are apparently more important than baseball.  Like college lacrosse.

In a “Team of the Decade” online poll hosted by the Chicago Tribune, the Northwestern women’s lacrosse team soundly defeated the 2005 World Series winner Chicago White Sox.

For those who don’t follow the sport (no, I don’t either), the Wildcat lacrosse team has won five of the last national Division I titles.  I guess they are that good.

They won with 57 percent of the vote in the poll compared to the White Sox’ 36 percent.  Rumor has it there was a little “ballot-stuffing” by fans of the lacrosse team. 

"Our fans wanted it bad, I guess," (lacrosse Coach) Amonte Hiller said with a laugh.

It’s tempting to take a jab at the Sox for losing out to a bunch of girls but a) those “girls” worked hard and really deserved it b) the 2003 Cubs barely got 1% in the poll and most importantly, c) it just a stupid poll. 

Ron Santo re-ups with WGN

cubs conv sat 053 I’ll admit it.  Ron Santo isn’t my favorite broadcaster to listen to.  But like Harry Caray in his later years, I can forgive that.  For all I can tell, Ron Santo is probably as genuine as you’re going to get in a business full of cynicism and insincerity. 

Which is why I’m happy he signed a three-year extension with WGN Radio to do the color commentary with Pat Hughes (thanks, Pat).

Like Harry, no one seems to love the game or the Cubs more (and dare I say it, the enthusiasm doesn’t appear to be an act like so many in the broadcasting biz):

"I love what I do, and it keeps me alive, as far as I’m concerned," Santo said from his Arizona home. "When I go in [to negotiate], I could say I’m looking for a two-year [deal] and they’ll say, ‘Why don’t you take a three-year contract?’"

I’m normally not so sentimental in such matters but in Santo’s case, I’ll make an exception.  He deserves more (*cough* Hall of Fame *cough*) but I’m happy for the news.

Alaskan Baseball gaining favor?

Bus Leagues Baseball has a nice piece on the Alaska Baseball League.  They interview Jesse Jack who covers the ABL on his site, 49th State Hardball.

Maybe it’s me but I’m getting the sense that the ABL is gaining in popularity among colleges to send their ballplayers in the summer.  Even our University of Illinois firstbaseman Matt Dittman, who was playing for the Lake Erie Monarchs last year, faced the Alaska Goldpanners as part of the 104th Midnight Sun Game in Fairbanks.  The Libertyville Review had a feature on his trip.

And no, it doesn’t get THAT cold in the summer there.  We’re talking about Fairbanks here:

From the interview:

A “hot” day up here is in the neighborhood of 70-80 degrees, which is comfortable for almost everyone. The colder days can be a little chilly; down into the 50-degree range. In fact, at least one team has installed heaters in their grandstand! But it’s very rarely too cold or too hot to take in a ball game…

We could use that kind of weather here at UI games.

Gerald Laird: Did the Suns play that bad?

An odd story coming out of Phoenix… mlb.com reports that Detroit catcher Gerald Laird was arrested along with his brother Brandon who is a minor leaguer for the Yankees.  The pending charge for Gerald is assault after trying to interfere with another arrest after a Suns-Celtics game. 

"While [security guards] were trying to arrest the suspect for disorderly conduct, the [Laird brothers] interfered and assaulted the security guards," Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill told the AP.

One, I’d like to hear Laird’s side of the story and two, why couldn’t he hit like this during the 2009 season (ok, that was a cheap shot).

2009 MiLBY awards announced

Roll out the red carpet.  It’s time for the 2009 MiLBY Awards which awarded to the best performances in the minor leagues this year. 

You can find the complete coverage of the MiLBYs on mlb.com

A couple awards of note:

Dan Hudson who pitched for the White Sox organization (and actually made it to the bigs for a quick cup of coffee late in the year) won the award for best overall pitcher.  He did so thanks to a 2.32 ERA and a 14-5.  Want a more impressive stat?  He struck out 166 and walked only 34 for a 4.88 K/BB ratio. 

David Cales is someone who I’m looking forward to seeing in a Cub uniform.  For Single-A Daytona, he had a 0.78 ERA in 37 games which got him the Best Reliever in Class A Advanced.  It may not be too long before we see him… he’s already made it to AA Tennessee. 

Speaking of Daytona, Catcher Robinson Chirinos who also plays for them, won the MiLBY award for Best Single Game Performance at the Class A Advanced level.  On May 31, the Venezuelan native hit two grand slams to help the Daytona Cubs to a 11-3 victory over Sarasota.  That’s the second time that’s happened in the Florida State League history.

The Best Team award went to Padre Class A affiliate Fort Wayne Tin Caps.  They won over 100 games (a 101-48 record to be precise) which in the minors, is pretty dang rare.  By the way, their manager?  Former Cubs speedster Doug Dascenzo.

The Best Hitter award will be announced sometime today.

Cubs-Contreras rumors

ESPN’s Bruce Levine reports that the Chicago Cubs are interested in former White Sox starter Jose Contreras.

(Emphasis mine),

Listed at age 39, his real age is could be anywhere from 40-45, nonetheless the Cubs are looking at him as protection for Lilly, and also to push the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in the iffy bottom of the rotation

Jose DID pitch well after coming to Colorado in late August (Levine reminds us that he had a 1.59 ERA in Sept/Oct) but his overall second half ERA was still 5.40 coupled with a 2-6 record.

Andre Dawson: In or out?

The Chicago Tribune has announced who their seven major sports writers support for the 2010 baseball Hall of Fame ballot.  Aggregately, the seven of them would vote in Roberto Alomar and Andre Dawson.

Dawson has always been on the bubble when it came to the Hall.  It didn’t help that he had 438 homeruns short of the (what used to be) the magical number to get in, (whether or not you like that litmus test. I don’t)  It also doesn’t help that he played for a team that doesn’t exist anymore and another that for the most part was mediocre (Dawson did his part winning the MVP for the last place 1987 Cubs). 

Hopefully, this is his year.  If you really want to see him in the Hall, you can help push for his election by joining Cubcast’s Twitter blitz aptly named #Dawson4theHall.  More info on their website.

Dawson may have an uphill battle, though.  Seems to me that the BBWAA is becoming more selective in recent years, with the possible exception of Bruce Sutter (sorry Sutter fans, I liked him too). 

But mostly in the ‘00s, they’ve only voted in the creme de la creme, something the Veterans Committee should perhaps look into.  In 2009, it was Rice (long time comin’) and Henderson (shoo-in).  In 2008, Gossage.  In 2007, two obvious choices in Ripken and Gwynn.  Others in this decade:  Boggs, Sandberg, Eckersley, G. Carter, Eddie Murray, Ozzie Smith. Kirby Puckett. 

Ok, there WAS Mazeroski. *snicker*

As far as his legacy is concerned, Dawson can be thankful he was picked up by the Chicago Cubs in 1987 after playing eleven years with the now defunct Montreal Expos .  He was 32 years old and played only six years for Chicago but recently the Cub faithful have really taken up his cause for the Hall with a vengeance.  See the above Twitter effort as an example.

Point is, as much as I like Dawson (and I do, being a Cub fan.  Besides being a good player, he had a pretty cool WGN theme song based around him), it might be a tough row to hoe. 

PS I couldn’t think of it at the time but the song was “Andre’s Army”.