Looking at the Game of Baseball from all ends of the Spectrum
Hmm… Sandy Alderson. The Mets could have a whole lot worse.
Texas gets a win. MLB interviews with Lewis, Washington and Moreland.
2010 first pick Bryce Harper gets his first pro dinger in the Arizona Fall League
Jose Bautista had his monster year in 2010 but do you know who came in second in homers in the AL? Paul Konerko did. And the Diamondbacks are interested in him.
There’s a creepy looking costume of Ron Washington… but fortunately he’s flattered.
So far, the biggest trade was the three-way deal involving the Yankees, the Diamondbacks, and the Tigers. New York got All Star centerfielder Curtis Granderson, enough said, they got the best player in the deal. Arizona got starting pitchers Edwin Jackson & Ian Kennedy. While Detroit landed centerfield prospect Austin Jackson, starting pitcher Max Scherzer, and a couple of lefties for their bullpen Phil Coke & Daniel Schlereth.
The Texas Rangers traded starter Kevin Millwood to the Orioles in exchange for reliever Chris Ray and Rule V selection Ben Snyder, the move was designed to free up money so Texas could sign free agent starter Rich Harden. The Rangers had enough money left over to acquire thirdbaseman Mike Lowell for catching prospect Max Ramirez from the Red Sox. Boston is interested in signing free agent thirdbaseman Adrian Beltre.
Pirates reliever Jesse Chavez has to be wondering whether it’s safe to unpack his bags, as he’s on his third team this offseason. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, who just dealt him to the Atlanta Braves for reliever Rafael Soriano. The Braves no longer needed Soriano, since bringing in Billy Wagner & Takashi Saito.
The Chicago White Sox brought in former Seattle Mariners closer J.J. Putz to replace Octavio Dotel, whom they chose not to retain.
Back in the middle of September I was assigned the task of predicting who would win the rookie of the year awards. Now two months later the winners were announced, Oakland A’s reliever Andrew Bailey in the American League and Florida Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan. I had predicted Rockies outfielder Dexter Fowler in the NL and Rangers SS Elvis Andrus in the AL.
In 2008 the A’s converted Bailey from a starter to a reliever in AA Ball in 2008. Andrew immediately experienced success in the bullpen, carrying that success over into the 2008 Arizona Fall League, and on into the 2009 regular big league season. He finished the season with 26 of 30 saves, a 6-3 record, a 1.84 ERA, with 91 strikeouts & 49 hits allowed in 83′ innings, and was Oakland’s lone All Star representative.
Chris Coghlan also enjoyed a conversion that enabled him to star in the big leagues, the former infielder was moved to leftfield. He brought his bat out to the outfield with him, batting .321 with a .390 OBP, with 31 doubles, 6 triples, & 9 home runs, as the Marlins leadoff hitter.
Elvis Andrus, my choice for AL Rookie of the Year, the Rangers 21 year old shortstop out of Venezuela, finished 2nd in the balloting behind Bailey. Elvis batted .267, with 33 stolen bases, 72 runs scored, & 128 base hits, with a very impressive range factor in the field of 4.86. Right on the heels of Andrus was Detroit’s 20 year old righthanded starting pitcher Rick Porcello (14-9 & 3.96 ERA). The 6’9″ Tampa Bay’s righthander, Jeff Niemann (13-6 & 3.94) was next, he was 17-0 with a 1.70 ERA as a Junior in 2003 with Rice. Then came The Sporting News choice for Rookie of the Year, the White Sox very own, thirdbaseman Gordon Beckham (.270, 28 doubles, 14 homers, 63 RBIs). Rounding out this crop of AL rookies was another pitcher from Oakland, southpaw Brett Anderson (11-11, 4.06 ERA, & 150 strikeouts in 175′ IP).
Closely behind Coghlan, over in the Senior Circuit, was The Sporting News choice for NL Rookie of the Year out of the University of Northwestern in Evanston, IL, Philadelphia’s lefthander J.A. Happ (12-4 & 2.93). A distant 3rd was Atlanta’s phenom righthanded starting pitcher Tommy Hanson (11-4, 2.89, & 116 K’s in 127″ IP). The Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen wasn’t far in back of Hanson, batting .286, 26 doubles, 9 triples, 12 homers, 74 runs scored, to go along with 22 steals, while playing a very good centerfield for the Buccos. Next up the Brewers thirdbaseman Casey McGehee received some love, .301, 20 doubles, 16 homers, & 66 RBIs. Interestingly six other rookies received very little support in their quest for league’s top rookie honors. They were Randy Wells of the Cubs (12-10 & 3.05), Pittsburgh slugger Garrett Jones (21 HRs & .293), Padres SS Everth Cabrera (25 SBs & 59 runs), my choice Dexter Fowler Colorado outfielder (73 runs, 27 SBs, 29 2Bs, & 10 3Bs), Diamondbacks outfielder Gerardo Parra (.290, 21 2Bs, 8 3Bs, 60 RBIs), and last, but not least, Cardinals centerfielder Colby Rasmus (22 2Bs & 16 HRs).
The Sporting News announced its National League All Stars as determined by 31 major league general managers and assistant GMs. St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols (also named Player of the Year), Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun were on the ballots of all 14 NL team executives who voted.
C Yadier Molina has shown that catching is much more than just offensive numbers, he is regarded as the best defensive catcher in the game. Besides his work behind the plate, Yadier seems to have found his stroke, batting .293 for the Redbirds.
1B Albert Pujols is simply the best, as reaffirmed by him being named Player of the Year. This year, once again, he posted Albert Pujols type numbers, leading the league with 47 homers & 122 runs, while batting .327 with a .443 OBP (best), while hitting 45 doubles, and driving in 135, leading St. Louis into the postseason.
2B Chase Utley is the quiet Phillie who just goes about his job in the field & at the plate. Chase hit 31 home runs, and was seven (93) RBIs shy of driving in at least 100 runs for the 5th straight season, he scored 112 times (over 100 four straight campaigns), and stole 23 bases without getting caught, while batting .282.
3B Mark Reynolds is synonymous with strikeouts, but there’s alot more to his game than just whiffs. Sure Mark broke his strikeout record he set last year (204) with this year’s mark of 223, but he also hit 44 homers, drove in 102, while stealing 24 bases for Arizona.
SS Hanley Ramirez had the highest batting average in the league, hitting .342, with 24 longballs, to go along with 42 doubles, driving in 106, 101 runs scored, and stealing 27 bases for the Fish.
OF Ryan Braun surprisingly this slugger had more hits than anybody in the NL, with 203, he also had 114 RBIs & 113 runs scored, amassing 32 homers, 39 doubles, & 6 triples, he also stole 20 bags.
OF Matt Kemp is a pure athlete and a true five tool player. The Dodgers centerfielder batted .297 with 34 steals, 26 home runs, knocking in 101.
OF Jayson Werth This gentle giant seems to have found a home in RF for Philadelphia, and he certainly can turn a baseball & a ballgame around in a hurry. 36 longballs, 99 RBIs, & 98 runs scored, all while playing excellent defense in the field.
SP Tim Lincecum The Freak was it at again, repeating as NL Pitcher of the Year, where does that little guy get all that power? He was 15-7 with an ERA of just 2.48, striking out a league best 261 batters in 225′ innings, allowing only 168 hits.
RP Ryan Franklin The 36 year old journeyman relief pitcher came out of nowhere to takeover as the closer for the St. Louis Cardinals, saving 38 games, with a 1.92 ERA. His 17 saves the year before was his career high.
Watching the Cubs host the Diamondbacks at Wrigley this weekend I couldn’t help but notice the extra umpires seated behind home plate. Turns out the fake umpires are Tim Williams & Joe Ferrell, two traders on the Toronto Stock Exchange, in Chicago on business. It was their seventh big league appearance. They bought their seats, but received several complimentary beers from nearby fans. It’s hilarious, they actually call the game, even down to reaching into their pocket for a baseball & acting like they’re throwing it to the pitcher. The fans are particularly delighted by their strike three calls. Although MLB has instructed their umpires not to engaged the pair, they secretly admire their act, so do the players & the fans. Popular umpires? What will we see next!
The remarkable lefthander out of Streator, IL started out his major league career with the Diamondbacks by throwing eighteen straight shutout innings spread out over 19 games in which he appeared. But that’s not the remarkable thing about this young handlebar mustached (the result of a Class-A contest) lefthander. Clay was drafted by Arizona out Southern Illinois Edwardsville in the 30th round of the 2006 draft. As a 22 year old, he struckout 51 batters in 49′ innings pitched with a respectable 3.47 ERA in Rookie Ball.
But then his career took a detour, his father died unexpectedly of a heart attack while working at a YMCA, leaving nobody to take over the house & the family farm in Streator, Clay’s brother was in the Navy, and their mother died when Clay was just three years old. So Clay rolled up his sleeves and took over the store, temporarily abandoning his pitching career. Clay said, “My dad worked and died for the place I’m at right now, so I felt like I had more important things to attend to than baseball.” One of those things was return to college to complete his education. “I had promised to my dad that I’d get my degree, so that was something I had to do, both for myself and for him,” said Zavada. “There are a lot of idiots like me out there who go to Division II schools and don’t get a signing bonus. And a lot of ’em are out of the sport by age 26 or 27, with no degree and no idea what to do. Playing baseball is great, but you’ve got to have a backup plan.”
The 2007 season may have been a “year off” when it came to baseball, but considering the circumstances, it was anything but relaxing. “I wasn’t Cadillac-ing, believe me,” said Zavada. “I was driving 200 miles in order to go to school on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then delivering furniture the rest of the week and giving pitching lessons on Sunday. It was real stressful, but I got my best GPA ever. It’s amazing how well you can do in college when you don’t have 30 guys to hang around with every night.”
Once everything was back in order one of Clay’s college buddies talked him into pitching for the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League, there he posted a nifty 1.72 ERA, and he also caught the eye once again of the Diamondbacks, who worked out a deal to reacquire Zavada. The Miners worked out a deal with Arizona whereby Clay could resign with the D-Backs without charging the club a purchase price, Arizona released struggling firstbaseman Brad Miller, who signed with the Miners, and it was a done deal. Clay was on his way.
But then there was another bump in the road, but this kid wasn’t about to be denied. He gave up a walkoff home run in Dayton on Thirsty Thursday, there were 10,000 fans going crazy, smoke was shooting from the nose of a giant dragon, and a 16-foot bullhorn was going off. Zavada says, “part of the fun of this game is getting your butt smacked, but then getting the chance to go out there and redeem yourself.”
Redeem himself, he did. He won the MiLBY for Class A Reliever of the Year, and for good reason. Despite the fact that he didn’t make his 2008 affiliated debut until June 21, the 24-year-old southpaw still put up numbers that could reasonably be called “otherworldly.” Over 24 appearances with the South Bend Silver Hawks, Zavada went 3-1 with eight saves and an 0.51 ERA. Opponents hit just .056 against him and he ended the season by hurling 30 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
Over the winter the D-backs added him to the 40-man roster, and when they needed a reliever in May they called him up from Double-A Mobile. Zavada picked up the win in his first big league game and did not allow an earned run in his first 18 innings. “Sometimes you ask people how they are doing and they tell you they are living the dream,” Zavada said. “They’re not really living the dream. There’s really only one percent that is really living the dream. I’m living the dream, my dream. Not many people get to do that in their lifetime. Life’s not fair. Life’s not easy. So I’m just thankful. It’s a blessing from God that I’m in this situation. There’s only 750 or so of us. That’s pretty unique. So you had better have fun, you had better enjoy it and you’d better give it all you’ve got. Otherwise you’ll regret it. And I don’t want to regret it.” It’s that attitude and approach to the game that has made Zavada so popular among his veteran teammates. “Clay definitely is one of those guys that lightens everyone up,” veteran left-hander Doug Davis said. “Seeing him wide-eyed every day, ready to pitch, ready to do whatever we ask him to do, he’s just always very humble even though he went 18 innings without giving up a run. It’s fun to have a guy like that in the clubhouse.” Said closer Chad Qualls, “He recognizes that it’s very special to be a big leaguer and he’s had a lot taken away from him, so to have this opportunity given to him, he just relishes it.” Nothing encapsulates Zavada’s journey better than the day he got to meet Ken Griffey Jr. prior to a game against the Mariners at Safeco Field. It was a big thrill and he clearly reveled in it. Later in the day, though, he was all business on the mound as he got Griffey to fly out. “He’s a cool guy,” Zavada said, an autographed Griffey jersey hanging in his locker behind him. “That’s good because sometimes you look forward to meeting someone and you can be disappointed.” Zavada does not expect his appreciation for his big leagues life to change. After all, when just over a year ago you were delivering furniture and struggling to make ends meet, the experiences you have in the Major Leagues are a non-stop high. “It’s amazing here. You play for two weeks and you’re like, this is sweet, this is awesome. And then you get a check and you’re like, holy cow. It’s pretty cool. It’s the best job in the world.”
So today I’m watching the Cubs game against the Diamondbacks, Arizona jumped out to a 10-0 wind, with the aid of a 10 MPH wind blowing out, unusual on a brisk, damp, fall day. There were legions of fans from Streator, IL wearing handlebar mustaches, hoping to see their very own, in action. They got their wish when a fair ball was rocketed toward the Diamondback bullpen, Clay fielded it, egg on his face. But his fandom got their wish, as Zavada came on to close out the game, pitching the 9th inning, without allowing a run, preserving an 12-3 win.
Glenn Donnellan, 39, a violinist for the National Symphany Orchestra, combined his two loves, music & baseball, and made an electric violin out of a baseball bat, Derek Jeter model, would it have sounded as good if it were a Brent Lillibridge model? Glenn delighted the fans at a recent game between the Nationals & the Diamondbacks in DC, by playing the National Anthem on his unique instrument. Yeah but could he hit a home run with his fiddle?
Yovani Gallardo hit a three run homer off The Big Unit and as a result, outpitched him, allowing only two runs over six innings to pickup the victory. It was the first home run Randy Johnson has ever given up to the opposing pitcher in 506 at bats. Johnson tried to get Gallardo fishing on a two strike, two out, high heater, but he didn’t get it high enough, and this big fish was biting. Yovani got all of it & tattooed it out of the park. Gallardo was injured much of last year, but looks good to go!
Yovani Gallardo 1 for 2, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 1 run scored, 1 SO
Yovani Gallardo (1-0) 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO
Never before in the history of baseball had a switch-hitter homered from both sides of the plate on Opening Day. Yesterday two Diamondbacks did it, Felipe Lopez & Tony Clark, AMAZING!!!
After a week in the Sunshine State watching the Grapefruit League, a weekend in Chicago to play some APBA, it was time to travel to the desert to enjoy some Cactus League action. Met up with DonS & Tom at the airport and it was off to the ballpark.
First stop was Scottsdale for a game between the Angels & the Giants. Sitting behind us was a tattooed couple & their son Dylan, they live on 100 acres, 2 hours north of SF, what nice people, really enjoyed meeting them. The Angels won the game thanks in part to SF reliever Luis Perdomo, who walked three, gave up one hit, committed two errors, in 1/3 innings of work. Brandon Wood looked overmatched, Macier Izturis had trouble hitting the ball past the pitcher, and Nick Adenhart had trouble pitching out of the stretch for the Halos. For SF, Emmanuel Burriss had to leave the game after getting plunked by a pitch, right after I said, he was injury prone, Justin Miller threw the ball well in his two scoreless innings, and Waldis Joaquin was lights out striking out three in 1 1/3 innings.
St. Patty’s Day it was time to go to Phoenix to see the A’s host the split squad Diamondbacks. Highly touted Max Scherzer barely broke a sweat, as he was pulled after only 2/3 of an inning, three hits, one walk, one error, five runs, only one earned, it’s tough to get by with only a fastball. Sean Gallagher looked sharp for Oakland against minor leaguers. I enjoyed seeing Aaron Cunningham go yard for Oakland, he’s a real hustler, reminds me of Lenny Dykstra. 11-3 A’s. Celebrated St. Patty’s Day at the Library a bar near ASU, lotsa green shots.
Wednesday it was time to check out the Ballpark at Camelback Ranch as the White Sox hosted the Angels. DonS wanted me to bet him a shaved head on the outcome, not much point in that, as his melon was already polished. The Ballpark was unbelievable! Thirteen practice fields for the LA Dodgers & the ChiSox, Connie’s Pizza, place holds 13,000 fans, and they even have a stirfry noodle dish. For LAA Dustin Moseley worked five shutout innings and Chone Figgins & Gary Matthews, Jr. hit homers. Chris Getz hit the ball sharply, Octavio Dotel struckout three in his perfect inning, and Mike MacDougal showed why he’s so overpaid, three hits & one run in his one scary inning. The Halos won this one, 4-1. Went to my favorite pizza place Pizzeria Bianco with Joe after the game, waited three hours, better than I remembered, it’s all good.
The last game of our trip was back where it all started in Scottsdale. DonS’ brother Kevin, his wife Dawn, Rob T, and his wife Vicki joined us for tailgating before the game. John Danks worked five scoreless innings for the Pale Hose, Carlos Quentin & Paul Konerko went deep, and Aaron Poreda punched his minor league ticket, spitting it out, five runs over 1 1/3 innings. Jeremy Affeldt worked out of a self induced bases loaded jam for the save, he started the game on Monday for SF, so it all came around in a great big circle. Sox lost 6-4. After the game we took a trip over to the Salty Senorita for some Mexican food, Mexican food, and some Margaritas. Can’t think of a better way to bid Arizona adios.