Looking at the Game of Baseball from all ends of the Spectrum
Listen and watch as President Obama follows protocol and calls the San Francisco Giants (is it Bochy he’s talking to?) to congratulate them for winning the 2010 World Series.
Within 10 seconds, Obama doesn’t hesitate to invoke the Chicago White Sox, who “broke a much longer dry spell” in his conversation. Let it go, Barack… we’re ALL happy the SOX won what, five years ago??
Nevertheless, a fine call despite the fact it was probably scripted on both ends.
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Whoever said that Baseball is a microcosm of all that is America was probably right. All you need to do is read a few of the countless forums out there tonight on the heels of the Giants’ World Series victory over the Texas Rangers.
Over at the MLB forums, you can find this gem:
BlueFan124 wrote:You hippie losers can take the WS but tomorrow we take our COUNTRY back!!!!!!!11/1/2010 10:58:16 PM
Bob Knepper was born 56 years ago today.
Categories which Knepper has led his league:
Shutouts |
6 |
1978 |
Fielding Errors |
5 |
1979 |
Hit by Pitch |
8 |
1980 |
Shutouts |
5 |
1986 |
Fielding Assists |
47 |
1986 |
Losses |
17 |
1987 |
I always liked Bob Knepper but the one thing I remember about him was his inconsistency from one year to the next. One season he would be 17-11 with a 2.63 ERA and the next he would be clobbered with a 9-12 record. You never knew which Bob Knepper you would get.
A rather humorous, behind-the-scenes video of Tim Lincecum modeling a SF Giants Snuggie.
Yo Tim, you’re supposed to keep your pants on when you put a Snuggie on!
Zack Greinke was named the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner. Greinke was dominant with a 2.16 ERA and a 16-8 record for the lowly Kansas City Royals. Zack started impressively, winning his first six games, with an ERA of 0.40, only Walter Johnson & Fernando Valenzuela had done that with lower ERAs. In back to back starts he struckout 15 batters in one contest and then allowed only one hit in his next start. He was 6-1 with a 1.75 ERA in his last 11 starts. Imagine how many wins Greinke would have amassed had he been pitching for the explosive New York Yankees. The Royals only scored 15 runs in Zack’s eight losses, 1.9 per game. Zack Greinke only allowed 195 hits in 229′ innings, striking out 242, while walking only 51.
MLB announced Tim Lincecum as the winner of the 2009 NL Cy Young Award. It was the 2nd straight year The Freak had won the award. Lincecum was the NL strikeout leader two years running, last time a Giant did that was Christy Mathewson in 1907-08. It was a very tight Cy Young vote, only 6 points separating 1st & 2nd, with a couple of Cardinals starters finishing in 2nd & 3rd. Interestingly Adam Wainwright was the leader in wins with 19 & 12 first place votes, but finished 3rd, teammate Chris Carpenter was the ERA leader at 2.24 with a 17-4 record, finished 2nd, and Tim was the strikeout leader with 261 Ks, a 2.48 ERA, and a 15-7 record, was the award winner, 15 wins was the lowest win total for an award winner.
Tim Lincecum’s timing was bit off last week.
Last Friday, the former Cy Young award winner was caught with pot when he was stopped after driving 74 mph in a 60 mph zone. Police found a pipe and 3.3 grams of marijuana.
Lincecum was “cited and released” and will receive a fine for the misdemeanor.
Rumor has it that the Giants won’t be taking action against him. But secretly, they’re probably taking some satisfaction that Lincecum’s arbitration hearing will be coming up soon. No doubt, this will come up during the hearings and perhaps have a little impact.
Lay off the doobie, Tim. It’ll cost you.
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.
The Sporting News has named their 2009 Pitcher of the Year award winners, as selected by a panel of 31 major league general managers and assistant GMs. This years winners are Zack Greinke of the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants Tim Lincecum.
Greinke was the AL ERA leader with a sparkling 2.16 ERA, a 16-8 record, he struckout 242 & walked only 51 batters (nearly 200 more strikeouts than bases on balls), surrendering only 11 longballs, on just 195 hits in 229′ innings. In this era of the relief pitcher, Zack completed six of his 33 starts, including three shutouts. He joins Bret Saberhagen as the only other Royals hurler to win the award, Bret won it in 1985 & 1989.
Tim Lincecum won the Pitcher of the Year award for the 2nd straight year, finishing with a 15-7 record, 261 strikeouts, only 68 walks (again, nearly 200 more strikeouts than bases on balls). Tim only allowed 168 hits, including only 10 longballs, in 225′ innings. Lincecum posted 2 shutouts, completing four of 32 starts. The Freak joins these other Giants who have won the award, 1944 Bill Voiselle, 1959 Sam Jones, 1967 Mike McCormick, 1973 Ron Bryant, 1978 Vida Blue, and 2004 Jason Schmidt.
Much is being made now about over-zealous homerun celebrations and the reactions they get from the opponents. I first came across this article on mlb.com about the Giants getting “irked” about a couple of homeruns in which teams exhibited in the Giants’ opinion, “unprofessional” behavior.
One was the actions of Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder, the other of Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres. Giants starter Brad Penny, who gave up the four-bagger, thought Gonzalez lingered a bit too long, admiring his work before making the trot.
I saw the video of the Gonzalez homer and honestly, I didn’t notice it.
Now, USA Today has picked up on the story. And they have a pretty damning photo of Fielder’s antics to go along with it, too The story is compelling with good examples etc etc..
But it makes me wonder if this story has taken a life of its own. Does it merit this much attention?
Two thoughts that popped into my head regarding this rather unimportant issue (in the grand scheme of things):
One, mlb.com covered this a few days ago. The same news source that recoils at anything controversial. Normally, the cynic in me would surmise that MLB is just trying to perhaps generate controversy/interest/rivalry in the midst of a postseason hunt but the teams involved are not near the top of their division.
Two, god forbid should this story take off to the point that MLB feel that they need to “do something about it”. Professional baseball has enough regulations already and a lot of them range from unnecessary to a hindrance.
Some of you watch more baseball games from different markets than I. Is this really a problem? And why is MLB so worried about it?
Ryan Spilborghs put an exclamation mark on last night’s Rockies come from behind victory over the Giants in 14 innings, with a walkoff grand slam! The teams were down to bare bones as evidenced by the fact that Colorado manager Jim Tracy told pitcher to take three strikes right down the middle for a strikeout, rather than risk hitting into a game ending doubleplay, he wanted to see Spilborghs hit with the bases loaded, Justin Miller issued a bases loaded walk to Eaton, then Miller was replaced by Merken Valdez, who let up the bags juiced jack.
The Rockies have played 51-22, 20-32 before that, and have closed to three games of the front running Dodgers, after once being 15 1/2 games out. Los Angeles is preparing to face Colorado in a three game series, so far the Dodgers are 10-2 versus the Rocks, 5-1 at both places, but this is a different Rockies ballclub, playing inspired baseball under Tracy, who replaced manager Clint Hurdle the end of May after a three game Dodger sweep at Coors Field.
Spilborghs certainly redeemed himself after grounding into an inning ending doubleplay in the 10th with the potential winning run on 3rd. The Giants had taken the lead on a Eugenio Velez triple in the top of the 14th, but it wasn’t to be, as it was Ryan’s day, as he sprinted around the bases to meet up with his waiting teammates at homeplate.