Looking at the Game of Baseball from all ends of the Spectrum
Derek Lowe 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (Win)
There was only one game on the docket (not including the Dodgers and Giants who were still finishing up their Cactus League action) but Atlanta Brave starter Derek Lowe made the LSOTD pretty easy to select.
Lowe shut out the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies for eight innings allowing only 2 hits and NO walks. He struck out four batters.
In three previous Opening Day starts, he was 0-3 with a 8.44 ERA so I guess he was due.
Apparently, Toronto, Canada didn’t suit Atlanta Brave Chipper Jones as he spent a couple days there as part of the World Baseball Classic. There just wasn’t enough to do.
“We stayed in Toronto for a week and played three games. I don’t know if you ever stayed in Toronto, but it’s not exactly Las Vegas. To say that we were plucking our eyebrows out one at a time would be an understatement.”
I have no sympathy for Mr Jones. He must have no creativity or wherewithal. He sounds like my nine-year daughter when I turn off the TV. “I’m bored… I don’t know what to do”
The only difference is that after a few minutes, my daughter can find something to occupy her time (and she doesn’t embarrass herself by talking to the media about it).
Not only that, I’ve been to Toronto and maybe I’m easy to please but the town seemed to offer a lot.
Get a life, Jonsie.
His father was pitcher Joe Niekro, his uncle was Hall of Fame knuckleball pitcher Phil Niekro. But Lance made it to the San Francisco Giants as a firstbaseman, batting .246 with 17 home runs in 499 big league at bats. After being released by the Houston Astros farm team last May, the younger Niekro has embraced his inner knuckleball and give it a go with the Atlanta Braves.
Lance learned everything he knew about baseball from his knuckleball pitcher (who started throwing it after 1971 in the bigs) father Joe, who pitched 22 years in the big leagues, and was a 20 game winner twice. Lance learned the pitch as a youngster from his father, but would be the Giants opening day firstbaseman in 2006, hitting two homers in a game against the Marlins, his only multi-homer game of his career, the last time his father saw him play, father Joe was dead of a brain aneurysm five months later.
Lance was despondent, playing baseball only brought back painful memories of his deceased father, and the closeness the two had experienced on the diamond. He was released by Houton’s minor league team 17 games into the next season. He was tired of baseball and declined his uncle’s request to work on his knuckler.
After a few months of working in the real world, baseball tugged at him. He thought of coaching or possibly broadcaster, before a conversation with his wife led him back onto the field. “I’d want to know if my dad was proud of me right now,” was what Lance would ask his dad, if he could. He concluded that answer wouldn’t be tied to how much money he was earning or whether he was in baseball, but rather he would be proud because his son was happily married and soon would be starting a family. That’s when the light clicked on and Lance decided he wanted to play baseball for himself, not for his dad.
Phil Niekro, still involved with the Braves, the team he’d starred for, arranged for a minor league deal. Lance worked on his knuckleball all winter, sometimes throwing five or six days a week. Niekro could have a long career ahead of him; his father and uncle combined for 450 of their 539 victories after each had turned 30.
I’ll be pulling for Lance Niekro. There’s a baseball in my bedroom with Joe Niekro’s autograph on it, also signing that ball were Woodie Fryman and Chuck Seelbach. In 1972 they all pitched for the AL East first place Detroit Tigers. I have a special place in my heart for knuckleball pitchers. Maybe it’s because I’m a White Sox fan, and grew up watching Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm (only saw him on TV for the Sox in 1968, my first year watching baseball), Wilbur Wood (the last pitcher to start both ends of a doubleheader), Eddie Fisher (was 15-7 with 24 saves in 82 games out of the pen for the Sox in 1965, before my time, but returned to the Southside in 1973), Charlie Hough (was in the Sox rotation in 1991 & 92, as a 43 & 44 year old, winning 9 & 7 games, pitching in the bigs till he was 46, 216-216 record 25 years), and then there are old timers Eddie Cicotte & Hall of Famer Ted Lyons (who started throwing a knuckler after a 1929 arm injury). Then there was the Washington Senators of the forties who featured an all knuckleball rotation.
I’ve said for years I’d like to see each team have a knuckleball instructor. When pitchers are no longer prospects, they could try throwing the knuckler. The latest knuckleball pitchers are Tim Wakefield, Steve Sparks, and the infamous Charlie Haeger.
“I’m a natural left-hander, but I bat and throw right-handed because that’s the way I learned. But, I eat left and drink left and write left. I’m amphibious.”
– Dale Murphy
First, how many of you remember Dale Murphy ending his career with the Colorado Rockies? Not me.
It can be argued that Murphy was a five-tool player. He had speed (161 career stolen bases), power (398 homers), and was adept in the field (5 Gold Gloves). While his career average is only .265, he managed to toy with .300 in his prime. .
Murphy Facts
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Let me start with Murphy’s positives at the outset. Between 1982-1987, he was one of the best if not THE best hitting outfielders in the game. If he crunch the stats, he averaged 36 homers, 104 rbis, 110 runs and a .382 OBP over those six years. On top of that, he played excellent defense, winning those Gold Gloves.
Murphy won back to back MVP awards in 1982 and 1983. Ironically, it was in the next two years, 1984 and 1985 when he led the NL in homers with 36 and 37 respectively (His 36 homers in ’82 and ’83 placed him second). Health and consistency had much to do with Murphy’s success in the mid-80s. He played every game from 1982-1985 for the Atlanta Braves.
After his great season in 1987 when he hit 44 homeruns and 105 rbis, something snapped in Dale Murphy and he wasn’t quite the same player. The next three seasons, he suffered sub-.250 batting averages though he managed to hit 20+ dingers. This prompted a trade from Atlanta to Philly where his offense continued to slip (.252 and 18 homeruns in 1991). He finished his career in Colorado in 1993 after 18 seasons of service to the game.
If I could base my decision on Murphy’s five or six years when he was at his peak, he’d be a shoo-in. No doubt about it. But that’s not how it works and I can’t ignore the rest of his career (I don’t want to hear any crap from anyone about Sandy Koufax either).
CLuke, who is the Dale Murphy fan in our APBA league, sees things a bit differently. I did offer CLuke a chance to write this profile but he’s a bit busy this week. He did email this though:
If Jim Rice is in then Murph deserves it. (He won’t get in or even get as close to Rice’s votes due to the east coast media’s bias towards Boston/ New York players.In Bill James’ book What ever happened to the Hall of Fame- he puts Dale as having 42 of the necessary points for Hall of fame induction. Jim Rice has 43 points.
Yes, put him in.
Nice try, CLuke. Next time, you’ll write the article.
I’ll say it’s close but I’d vote no.
| Hall of Fame | |
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Hall of Very Good |
| Why is he even on the Ballot? |
While we wait for January 12 ballot results, The Baseball Zealot will be profiling those players who are on the 2009 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Read the rest the of the profiles.
Deja vu all over again, as Rafael Furcal once again is the center of controversy regarding signing with a team as a free agent. This time it’s Furcal choosing the Dodgers over the Braves, last time he snubbed the Cubs when he signed with LA in 2005.
Here’s what Braves president John Schuerholz had to say about Furcal signing with the Dodgers. “Having been in this business for 40-some years, I’ve never seen anybody treated like that. The Atlanta Braves will no longer do business with that company — ever. I told agent Arn Tellem that we can’t trust them to be honest and forthright. I told him that in all my years, I’ve never seen any agency act in such a despicable manner”. It seems as though the Furcal team had a verbal agreement with Atlanta, then went with LA.
I remember a similar thing happened with the Cubs in 2005. Aramis Ramirez, Neifi Perez, & Greg Maddux had all talked with Rafael, telling him to sign with Chicago, his name was already penciled in as the leadoff hitter, but then he signed with the Dodgers.
It seem that every team has backed out of the Jake Peavy hunt save the Braves and the Cubs.
Now word comes out that Atlanta has gone as high as they can/will:
“We felt that we offered a strong package of players, and if we couldn’t get a deal done with the players offered we would move on to pursue other players,” the Braves general manager said Friday in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
That means we get ‘im, right?
Not so fast.
Apparently, the Cubs original offer doesn’t wow Pads GM Kevin Towers. IF Peavy gets traded, the Cubs are still in the mix but right now, Ryan Dempster is probably a higher priority.
Seeing that there’s no deadline set on any potential deal, this might be something that gets put on the backburner.
According to Paul Sullivan from the Tribune, the Cubs are probably good for just one “big-ticket item” this off-season. Ok, I’m not a GM but if I were Hendry, I’d sign Dempster for what he’s worth and spend that big-ticket money on a leadoff hitter. Preferably one that hits from the left side.
Breaking up is hard to do
Speaking of Hendry and such, it sounds like Kerry Wood never really wanted to leave the Cubs after all. At least, that’s the press’ take on what Wood had to say:
“It’s bittersweet. Obviously this is my first choice. I wanted to stay here and the best choice for me and my family. … But that’s part of baseball right now,” Wood said in a conference call Friday.
These just may be polite words, there may be an element of truth to it, or quite possibly, he really means it.
What a shame! 11,211 was the announced paid attendance yesterday for the ballgame between the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Marlins in Miami, but only 600 fans were in the stands. I do understand the Marlins have recently fallen out of playoff contention, the kids are back in school, and it’s very hot in South Florida. But really, only 600 people were willing to show up to yesterday’s major league game, that’s pitiful, this team is talking about a new stadium, how ridiculous!
The Florida Marlins are a pretty good baseball team, above .500, with All Stars at both shortstop in Hanley Ramirez and at secondbase in Dan Uggla. Ramirez in his third full season has once again reached the 29 homer mark for his 2nd straight year, and has scored more than 100 runs for the third straight time. His doubleplay partner, Dan Uggla, has hit 29 longballs, he hit 31 last year, and 27 as a rookie. Then there’s firstbaseman Mike Jacobs, who has knocked 28 balls over the wall, in his third year as a starter. Also Jorge Cantu has a solid year with the bat over at the hot corner, with 23 taters. Florida also has some pretty good young starting pitchers in Scott Olsen, Ricky Nolasco, & Josh Johnson.
But it doesn’t seem to be about the quality of the ballclub. It seems like a Florida thing. The Marlins have the second lowest paid attendance from 2000-07 at 1.6 million. The only team with worse attendance is in Tampa Bay, the Rays drew 1.1 million over the same time period.