THE
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Volume# 3 July 2012*Q&A: John McClain of the Houston Chronicle on the NFL Draft
* David Rabinowe on the Sports without Seasons
* Hansen Alexander on the Texas Rangers and the AL at Mid Season
* David Rabinowe’s National League First Half Review
Q&A WITH JOHN MCCLAIN, NFL REPORTER, HOUSTON
CHRONICLE
(John
McClain has covered the National Football League for the Houston Chronicle for more than four decades and
is one of the voters for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton,
Ohio. McClain has also be a mainstay of sports radio in Houston and has
acted in several movies, including the award winning independent film,
Cook County, written, directed, and produced by David Pomes.)
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(LBCS): John, thanks for agreeing to talk to us about the Texans and the NFL draft. Let's
start out with some preliminary questions. You have covered both the
Oilers and now the Texans. Was one organization more cooperative
than the other in letting you in on the draft process and the players they
were targeting?
John McClain: The Oilers by far. The late and great former personnel director and general manager Mike Holovak helped me more than anyone I've covered in decades. I miss him terribly. Texans GM Charley Casserly also offered great assistance. I owe both of them a debt of gratitude.
LBCS: Does the Texans' organization share background information on players they are targeting in a draft that you are not permitted to report?
John McClain: Those in charge of the Texans' draft share very ittle with me before the draft. They're extremely secretive. They're better about sharing information about players they've drafted rather
than players they've targeted.
LBCS: Do the players, coaches, and team management complain to you in person or otherwise about your reporting?
John McClain: When I covered the Oilers, they had regimes that complained all the time. The Texans are different. Maybe I'm getting older, but the Texans don't complain. I can only remember Bob McNair doing it once, Rick Smith twice and Gary Kubiak never. Every once in a while a player will mention something I've written.
LBCS:
Now that YouTube and other video resources are available to all of us, do you look at tape of college
football players in preparation for the draft? Do you watch much
college football to keep up
on potential prospects? Do you have a
relationship with the Texans scouting department?
John McClain: The late, great Joel Buchsbaum used to say, "I'm an information gatherer and not a scout." Joel said that in the early 80s. I rely heavily on scouts, personnel directors, college coaches,
etc., -- sources I've developed and come to
trust through the decades, for personnel information. I watch college
football as a fan, not as a scout. I'm not a scout. I'm a sportswriter who
gathers information on college and pro prospects.
LBCS: Do you pay attention to the various mock drafts, from Mel Kiper on ESPN to CBS, Fox Sports, Draftek, etc.?
John McClain: I read every mock draft from those I respect from reading them through the decades.
LBCS: Do you cover the Combine in Indianapolis?
John McClain: I've covered the combine since there were about 20 writers there. Now there are more than 500 members of the media covering the combine.
26 (26)Whitney MercilusDE6-4265Illinois35
(68)DeVier PoseyWR6-2210Ohio
Statefrom Buccaneers313 (76)Brandon
BrooksG6-5343Miami (OH)from Eagles44
(99)Ben JonesC6-3316Georgiafrom Buccaneers through
Eagles426
(121)Keshawn MartinWR5-11189Michigan State431
(126)Jared
CrickDE6-6285Nebraskafrom Buccaneers through
Patriots and Broncos526
(161)Randy BullockK5-9212Texas A&M625
(195)Nick MondekT6-5307Purdue
LBCS: John, a lot of people thought the Texans would finally try to select a receiver complement to Andre Johnson in the first round and the name of Baylor wide receiver Kandall Lewis was heard most often. Why do they instead go for the pass rusher in Whitney Mercilus of Illinois?
John McClain: Wade Phillips says a 3-4 defense can never have enough outside linebackers. As Mario Williams showed last season, a defense better be prepared for injuries. Mercilus was drafted to take Williams' place on the roster. Brooks Reed took Williams' place on the defense. Connor Barwin took Williams' position.
LBCS: Mercilus was really only productive for one season, last year, leading the nation in sacks. There was fear that he was a one year wonder. We know Wade Phillips likes him thus far. What's your impression?
John
McClain: On and off the record, coaches
and players have told me they're impressed with Mercilus' development
from 4-3 DE to 3-4 OL who'll still drop in passing situations. He's a
hard worker who's smart enough to learn quick. I don't think he'll start
unless somebody is
injured. In nickel situations, I see him coming
off the bench and playing right end. He'll also be part of the
rotation.
LBCS:
A lot of mocks had Ohio State receiver DeVier Posey, who was involved in the infamous tattoo scandal in
Columbus, as low as the 6th round. Was he a bargain, and can he be the long
sought companio opposite Johnson?
John McClain: The Texans had Posey rated higher than others I spoke to. They scouted him thoroughly and decided he won't be a repeat offender. He's got size and speed, but he's very raw. They didn't draft him to start. They've got Kevin Walter as the other starter. Lestar Jean will
probably be the third receiver. Posey or Keshawn
Martin will be the fourth, I imagine.
LBCS: Arguably, the worst loss in free agency for the Texans was left tackle Eric Winston. It does not appear that the Texans addressed that loss in the draft although they did select an outstanding center in Ben Jones of Georgia and a good guard in Brandon Brooks of Ohio. What is their game plan on that?
John McClain: Because of the cap, they had to make a tough financial decision. They could keep Winston, who excelled at right tackle, or Chris Myers, who excelled at center. They basically sacrificed Winston for Myers. They had no other center on the roster. They thought Rashad Butler could do a reasonable impersonation of Winston in a contract year, so they kept Myers.
LBCS: Likewise, the starting linebacker De Marco Ryans was traded to the Eagles. As a highly touted All American out of Alabama, do the Texans view Ryans as a big disappointment? And is that why he was traded? Who will replace him?
John
McClain: Ryans was one of the best players the Texans have had. He was ill-suited
for inside linebacker in a 3-4. He played only on run downs, and Brian Cushing stayed on the field.
Before he suffered a torn Achilles tendon, Ryans seldom left the field.
But he's a classic 4-3 middle linebacker, and they did him a favor by
sending him to a 4-3 team with a hole in the middle, a 4-3 team with Super
Bowl aspirations.
LBCS: Nebraska rookie Jared Crick probably would have been a first round pick if he had not missed most of last season in Lincoln with a torn pectoral muscle. He's not a great edge rusher yet can move the pile and penetrate, but he comes with some physical baggage. He has arthriticknees. Do the Texans therefore view him as a guy who can play right away but will probably have a short career?
John McClain: The Texans thought he was a steal where they got him. After watching him in OTAs and minicamp, they believe he can be part of the rotation at DE in a three-man front and DT in a four-man front. They're not worried about his knees right now.
LBCS: Michigan State receiver Keshawn Martin was not highly rated on a lot of draft boards, for some reason, but had blazing speed at the Combine, and the Texans took him in the 5th round. Is he a legitimate possibility at starter or only intended to provide wide receiver depth?
John McClain: Martin was drafted in the fourth round. They need depth at receiver, players who can be groomed to eventually contribute and the possible start. Posey in the third and Martin in the fourth. Martin also is a good punt returner who'll be asked to handle those duties with Jacoby Jones out of the picture. They praised Martin more than Posey during the OTAs and minicamp. Barring injury, they need one of the rookies to be good enough to be the fourth receiver.
LBCS:
Will Randy Bullock of A&M be the Texans field goal kicker as a rookie?
John McClain: He better be or they will have blown a fifth-round pick, the only selection they've ever used on a kicker.
LBCS: John, tell us about Purdue tackle Nick Mondek. We're not familiar with him at all. Could he really be Winston's replacement?
John McClain: No way. He's a project. His best bet is the practice squad. Rashad Butler will start at right tackle, and second-year veteran Derek Newton should push him, according to the coaches.
LBCS: Of the Texans's divisional revivals, it surely looks as if the Colts have rebuilt their air game in a hurry, acquiring in the draft the best quarterback, Andrew Luck, the two best tight ends, Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, and deep threat receivers T.Y. Hilton and LaVon Brazile. Did the Colts do the best drafting in the AFC South? If not, who had the best draft?
11 (1)Andrew LuckQB6-4235Stanford22 (34)Coby FleenerTE6-6244Stanford31
(64)Dwayne AllenTE6-4255Clemson329 (92)T.Y. HiltonWR5-10183FIUfro49ers51 (136)Josh ChapmanDT6-1310Alabama535 (170)Vick BallardRB5-11220Mississippi State compensatory selection636 (206)LaVon BrazillWR5-11191Ohiocompensatory selection71 (208)Justin AndersonG6-5342Georgia77 (214)Tim FuggerLB6-4250Vanderbiltfrom Jaguars through Jets746 (253)Chandler HarnishQB6-2220Northern Illinois compensatory selection
John McClain: On paper, it looks as if the Colts did. Luck is the best QB prospect since Elway in 1983. He's got his favorite tight end, a desperate position for the Colts. They also got speed at wideout to go with Reggie Wayne. They finally got around to drafting defense with nose
tackle Josh Chapman. A lot of their rookies should start from Day One.
LBCS: A little Texas favor, John. My Texas classmate Suzanne Halliburton, up there in Austin reporting for the Statesman, is aCowboys fan. Tell us how you think the Pokes did in the draft?
John McClain: I think Jerry Jones had a terrific
offseason by signing CB Brandon Carr and trading to get CB Mo Claiborne,
the best player at his position. I was very impressed with what the
Cowboys have done during the offseason.
LBCS: John, could you give us your "divisional winners" in the April draft, the team in each division which you believe drafted better than the other teams and why:
AFC South: Colts. Drafted four rookie starters and a second tight end when they used two at the same time. Andrew Luck was the best prospect in the draft.
AFC
North: Bengals. Four possible rookie starters in CB Dre Kirkpatrick, G Kevin
Zeitler, DT Devon Still and WR Muhammad Sanu. All filled need positions.
AFC East: Patriots. Six players to bolster a poor defense, including starters in OLB Chandler Jones and ILB Dont'a Hightower.
AFC West: Chargers. They rebuilt their pass rush with Melvin Ingram and Kendall Reyes, and they got a sleeper tight end in Ladarius Green.
NFC
South: Bucs. They got instant starters in SS Mark Barron and OLB David Lavonte. RB Doug Martin may not spend much
time coming off the bench.
NFC North: Vikings. Ten picks. Starters in OT Ryan Kalil, SS Harrison Smith and CB Josh Robinson. Big help for passing game with WRs Jarius Wright and Greg Childs.
NFC East: Eagles. Outstanding job of filling defensive weaknesses with DT Fletcher Cox, LB Mychal Kendricks, DE Vinny Curry and CB Brandon Boykin.
NFC West: Rams. Strength in numbers. Ten picks. Help for offense with WRs Brian Quick and Chris Givens. An underrated RB in Isaiah Pead and help for defense in DT Michael Brockers, CB Janoris Jenkins and CB Trumaine Johnson. And a K in Greg Zuerlein.
LBCS:
Back to the Texans, John, for some specific questions. First, was the resigning
of center Chris Meyers the most important off season deal the team got done?
John McClain: Since they didn't have to extend Arian Foster and they would have lost Myers, I'd say yes. Myers is the leader of the offensive line. They had no other center on the roster. Had they lost Myers, they would have been forced to sign a free agent or use a high pick on a replacement. Myers, who played exceptionally well, is invaluable to the offense.
LBCS: Given the rebuilding going on in the AFC South, is there any possible scenario in which the Texans would not win the division this fall?
John
McClain: A shocking surprise by the Titans or Jaguars and catastrophic injuries to key Texans players is
the only way I see them
opportunity by a Houston NFL team since the
Oilers blew the 35-3 lead at
Buffalo after the 1992 season.
LBCS: With the advances in modern surgery, it almost seems taken for granted now that players can come back after these procedures. Would you
John McClain: He's 100 percent and working out several times a week with his receivers at the University of Houston.
LBCS: Wade Phillips was outstanding again last year as a defensive coordinator, yet struggled in his various stints as a head coach. Is he
John McClain: I wouldn't say he exactly struggled when he led the Broncos, Bills and Cowboys to the playoffs. His regular-season winning
LBCS: John, during the regular NFL season, do you have a regimen or schedule where you work certain days, take days off when the team does?
John McClain: Beginning a week before camp begins and extending through the Super Bowl, I don't take a day off. I seldom take one off until after the minicamp in May.
LBCS: Can the Texans get to the Super Bowl this coming season?
John McClain: They should be a Super Bowl contender after what they
they need home-field advantage to make the Super Bowl. I don't think they'll get it because their schedule is too difficult. Playing four of their five nationally televised games on the road will keep them from
LBCS:
From your perspective, how serious is the concussion issue in the NFL, and will
it force changes in player equipment such as helmets?
John McClain: The best helmets money can buy can protect the skull, but they can't keep the brain from moving every time there's a collision.
LBCS: A companion question, John, when did American football change from a game of tackling into one in which players hurl themselves like missiles at each other?
John McClain: When the salary cap was implemented. Coaches stopped
many hard hits that defensive players want to get recognized so they go or the big hit rather than a form tackle.
LBCS: Is there concern among NFL management, as far as you can tell, that the number of arrests of college and pro players has begun to become so widespread that they need to do something about it other than the suspensions?
John McClain: They worry about it, but what else can they do? They're more worried about serious crimes rather than players getting busted for pot. The truth is, if a player can play, some team will go after him no matter what he's done if they think he'll help them win. And home fans are very forgiving.
LBCS: Since you have a Hall of Fame vote, it would not be proper for us to ask you about any future vote you make. On the other hand, which of the players we will watch on Sundays this autumn have the best chances to be elected?
John
McClain: There are too many to name because so many are deserving, but players
I believe are Hall of Fame locks are the obvious: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning,
Ray Lewis, Charles Woodson. Tony Gonzalez, Ed Reed, Randy Moss. Off the top of my head, among the
proven veterans who have a good chance to make it are Drew Brees, Eli Manning,
Ben Roethlisberger, Brian
Urlacher, Donald Driver,DeMarcus Ware, Ronde
Barber, Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Jason Witten,
Casey Hampton, Troy Polamalu, Dwight Freeney, Halota Ngata, Terrell Suggs, Nnamdi Asomugha, Vince Wilfork, Derelle Revis, Adam
Vinatieri and Antono Gates.
LBCS: One final question. Which former NFL
player was the best actor?
John McClain: Merlin Olsen.
SPORTS SEASONINGS
By: David Rabinowe
The Sports seasons are defined. If you are a true sports fan, and not just a fan of one particular team or one particular sport, month by month, the year passes with a cycle that is inherently predictable.
Any month can be defined by sports:
April = Baseball and the Masters.May and June = NBA Playoffs, NHL playoffs and the Kentucky Derby.
July = Baseball.
August = Baseball and Preseason Football.
September = College Football, NFL Football and the US Open (Tennis).
October = the NFL and Postseason Baseball.
November - January = College and Pro Football.
February = College Basketball, the NBA and NHL.
March = March Madness and Spring Training.
And…we start anew. To every season there is a sport, but to every sport, there isn’t always a season.
The most popular sports in America have defined seasons, but that wasn’t always the case. A few generations ago, the most popular sports in America were Baseball, Boxing and Horse Racing. Now, even with a defined season, baseball is a regional sport -- a distant second in popularity behind the NFL, and Boxing and Horseracing have been relegated to the sidelines of the American fan’s conscience.
Boxing and Horse Racing are not seasonal sports. Along with modern day tennis, golf, soccer (in the U.S.) the Olympics, and even college basketball, they are event based sports. Horse Racing has gone from the sport of kings to a 5 week (at best) event that consists of the Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Boxing is followed by the public on a pay-per-view basis. The Sweet Science has no schedule, and only corruption based headlines rendering it nearly dead in our national sports conversation. Our grandparents would shake their collective heads.
Tennis is defined by the Majors – the sport matters 8 weeks a year. The Olympics are a fun event to remind us that there are swimmers, divers, runners and jumpers, who work as hard as our “professional” athletes for a lot less money. Golf Majors matter, and occasionally we get excited if Tiger or Phil are on a leader board late on a given Sunday, but those are events. Americans wake up to Soccer for the World Cup, and that’s about it, and sadly, College Basketball starts for most of America on Selection Sunday.
I bring this up because of the unique weekend we just had. The weekend of June 8-10 saw Paquiao v. Bradley in a corruption filled boxing fight, The finals of the French Open Tennis Tournament, The Belmont Stakes and drama (or lack thereof) of “I’ll Have Another’s” NON run for history, Interleague Baseball beginning -- and here in NY the Yankees Sweeping the Mets in the Bronx-- The End of the NBA Conference Finals, and The NHL Finals, oh…and if you are interested in such things, some NFL teams were conducting OTA’s. A rare convergence of sports that made me happy that ESPN has more channels then my entire TV had when I was born.
So, to every season….turn, turn, turn, but if Horse Racing, Boxing, Tennis, Golf, or any of the “secondary” sports don’t define their seasons, promote their big events, and assure they are on the up-and-up, they will never gain the market share of the American sports public they desire. The lesson to learn here is this: protect your season with a defined offseason, because without one, you are only a few events from obscurity in America. If you don’t believe me, try and name the current heavyweight champion(s) of the world…good luck!
By: Hansen Alexander, Editor
For
years you could never see the Texas Rangers on prime time national television.
Yet in the final weeks of the American League’s first half schedule of 2012 the
Rangers invaded the living room of baseball fans a minimum of two times a week.
After two straight American League pennants and two narrow, seven game World
Series losses, the pitching strong Rangers are baseball’s dominant team as they
led the American League West at mid season and looked like a good bet to go to
the World Series for the third straight year.
Despite devastating losses in their starting rotation when Derek Holland and Robbie Rocs were injured (Rocs had a 6-0 record and a 1.08 ERA at the time he went on the Disabled List, DL) and the loss of CJ Wilson to the Los Angeles in free agency, the Rangers staff still had the 8th best earned run average (ERA) in baseball and had given up the third lowest walks. The departure of Wilson was hardly missed as the Iranian-Japanese heart throb (there is a considerable Iranian population in Richardson, Texas, north of Dallas) Yo Darvish, purchased from the Japanese League over the winter, turned out to be more than advertised, turning out a 10-4 record with a 3.57 ERA and 106 strikeouts by July 1. Matt Harrison was 11-3 with an impressive 3.16 ERA and a more modest 65 strikeouts. Colby Lewis was only a 500 pitcher at 6-6 but boasted a 3.51 ERA with 90 strikeouts. Veteran Roy Oswalt, the foundation of the Houston Astros rotation for a decade, was signed in June to compensate for the pitching injuries and was a workman like 2-0 with a 4.26 as he pitched into shape in real games and gave up the most hits in his entire career, 15, in one prime time outing against the Detroit Tigers. And Joe Nathan, the once dominant closer of the Minnesota Twins, recovered nicely after Tommy John surgery (in which the shoulder is repaired with stronger tendons and muscles from other parts of the body) and had 18 saves and a 1.87 Era by July 1.
Over the winter, a retired college baseball coach, who just happens to have the second most wins in NCAA history, grumbled to me that Rangers outfielder and prime time slugger Josh Hamilton doesn’t know the strike zone. Hamilton may be the most productive bad ball swinger since Yogi Berra, but he seemed immune from such criticism through July 1, as he swatted 25 homeruns, hit .319, and became baseball’s most famous alcoholic since Mickey Mantle after a DUI arrest in late winter. Indeed Hamilton may be the closest thing to Mantle ever, a man of tremendous speed in addition to power and with great range in the outfield, not a small matter for a man who throws left handed.
Hamilton, of course, is only one member of a deep and talented Rangers offense. Third baseman Adrian Beltre slugged 14 homers and hit .319. Stellar short stop Elvis Andrus hit .305, David Murphy batted .288 and each of his nine homeruns came at important points in the half season. Ian Kinsler and Michael Young were below their career averages at .276 and .273 but still major contributors. Mitch Moreland hit .272 with 10 homeruns, Nelson Cruz batted .255 but, like Murphy, his 11 homeruns seemed always to matter, and former Angels World Series hero Mike Napoli hit 12 homers despite struggling with a .238 average in limited duty at catcher, first base, and designated hitter. If these slugging numbers hold up over a full season, the Rangers will have five batters and perhaps as many as seven, with 20 or more homers
For the half season, the Rangers’ gaudy statistics put them first in the majors in team batting, .280, first in on base percentage, first in slugging percentage, first in hits, first in runs, and third in home runs.
Albert Pujols and his staggering new salary struggled famously early in the season, became the butt of sports comedy, and it looked like the Los Angeles Angles would never get untracked. Legendary baseball writer George Vecsey told us in his March Q&A that Pujols looked over weight during last October’s World Series and wondered about its impact as the slugger aged. Or maybe Pujols was just unfamiliar with American League pitchers. He has since rebounded and while still struggling in average, 269, hit 12 home runs, and most importantly, drove in 47 runs.
What has set the Angels on fire, however, besides Jered Weaver’s no hitter of the Twins, was the arrival of rookie center fielder Mike Trout, who hit .336, with 8 homeruns and 32 RBIs, after being called up from the minors. He also climbed the center field fence and made sensational catches with reckless abandon that drew comparisons to Willie Mays and every other great center fielder. It may have been the most impressive first half for a rookie since Fred Lynn replaced Tony Conigliaro in center field for the Boston Red Sox in 1975.
While the Angels have spent a fortune signing free agents Pujols, Tori Hunter, and Vernon Wells, it is these home grown kids that will keep them in a dogfight with the Rangers the rest of the year. Mark Trumbo, who grew up near the Angels’ stadium in Anaheim, showed MVP type numbers in the first half: 53 RBIs, 19 homeruns, and a .313 average. The Angels do not know quite where to play him and he has seen duty in left field, third base, right field, and first base. Howie Hendrick is finally achieving his potential as one of the game’s premier second basemen, and was hitting .273 on July 1. Kendrys Morales hit .281, had 8 homers and 28 RBIs. In total, the Angels had the second highest batting average, were 6th in hits, and 11th in homers.
The Angels pitching rotation, 6th in ERA at mid season, will keep them into the divisional race and probably a playoff berth. In addition to his no hitter, Jered Weaver had an 8-1 won lost record by July 1, sat on an impressive 2.31 ERA although he struck out a modest 66 batters. CJ Wilson has been worth every penny of his free agent contract since deserting Texas for the high taxes in California, striking out 84 batters with a 2.36 ERA and a 9-4 record. Ervin Santana has been both spectacular and awful, 4-8, 73 strikeouts, and a too high 5.12 ERA. Dan Haren was inconsistent as well, among the league leaders in strikeouts with 85, but with a 4.53 ERA and a 6-7 record. Manager Mike Scioscia, arguably the sport’s best field manager since the retirement last winter of Tony La Russa, has an outstanding bullpen as usual. Ernesto Frieri had 10 saves through 23.1 innings with a 0.00 ERA! Scott Downs had 6 saves and 14 holds, the ancient Le Troy Hawkins saved 18 games and bragged a 1.17 ERA. The even more ancient Jason Isringhausen was 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA. The Angels’ hurlers ranked 4th in hits allowed, 5th in runs allowed and 6th in earned runs.
The Oakland Athletics are unlikely to go to the playoffs this season, but their .500 record, 42-42 on July 7,th is worth mentioning because of the impressive pitching of their young staff. They are second in the American League in strikeouts, second in hits allowed, third in ERA at 3.39, and 4th in earned runs allowed . Jarrod Parker was 5-3 with a 2.46 ERA and 61 strikeouts on July 7th. Former White Sox phenom Brandon McCarthy seems finally to be reaching his potential in Northern California, was 6-3, a stellar 2.54 ERA, and 52 Ks at the break. Young Tommy Milone went 8-6 with a 3.57 ERA and 72 strikeouts. That was supported by another excellent comeback year from the elderly Bartolo Colon, who went 6-7, with 58 strikeouts before walking off the mound to the Disabled List. The Athletics’ tag team relief corps of Ryan Cook and Grant Balfour combined for 15 saves and 21 holds.
Oakland General Manager Billy Beane usually belies the stereotype that gay men are big spenders and the Oakland payroll is the lowest in baseball this year, at $55, 372, 500, for an average of $1.8 million per player. Yet Beane did open his bank account to pay Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes $36 million over 4 years or $9 million for the 2012 season. Cespedes, facing major league caliber pitching for the first time at age 27, led the A’s in hitting, if with a modest .268 average, hit 9 homeruns, 11 doubles, and drove in a respectable 35 runs. It is in center field, however, where Cespedes has been sensational. He has glided across the outfield with the effortless look of Joe DiMaggio, making only 1 error in 125 chances, and has thrown out two runners. In comparison, Angels’ rookie sensation Mike Trout has committed 3 errors and thrown out one base runner. Josh Reddick, acquired from Boston over the winter, has hit 20 home runs.
Although the weather is magical in Seattle in summer, the baseball this season has been dreadful. The Mariners are in last place with no prospect of exiting that position this calendar year. The highlight of the half season was an odd no hitter 6 Mariners pitchers contributed to against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 8th. More typical of the Mariners half season was the indignity of a perfect game pitched against them on April 21 by White Sox journeyman pitcher Philip Humber, who got the final out against Brendan Ryan on a questionable third strike call, that certainly looked to human eyes other than those used by the home plate umpire as a checked swing. Rookie catcher Jesus Montero batted .245, hit 8 homeruns, batted in 28 runs, and served notice that Safeco Field was not going to be as friendly to his swing to right center as the Yankee Stadium where he was employed in 2011. Ichiro Suzuki, looking like he is in the final days of his Hall of Fame career where he will be the first Asian player so enshrined, led the team in batting with an unimpressive .258.
No lead is safe in the American League Central and it is unclear whether the first place Chicago White Sox will even be in contention in September. Yet the White Sox are sure fun to watch, with this mid season home run derby tally as of July 1: Adam Dunn 24 (Despite a batting average of .213), Paul Konerko 14, A.J. Pierzynski 14, young left fielder Dayan Viciedo 14, Alex Rios 10, and second baseman Gordham Beckham 9. In all, the White Sox were 5th in home runs, 6th in batting average, 6th in RBIs, and 7th in runs. The acquisition of Kevin Youkillis from the Red Sox at the end of the first half spurred the White Sox on a 9-3 run and Youkillis ended the half with two game-winning hits. The White Sox pitching was more notable than good. Philip Humber, 3-4, with a 6.01 ERA, pitched a perfect game against Seattle on April 21. Jose Quintana pitched 15 scoreless innings in June as both a starter and reliever. He was 3-1 with a 2.19 ERA and 29 strikeouts. The team ERA was 3.95 but only two pitchers had winning records, and one of them, Jake Peavy, sat barely above .500 on July 1 with a 6-5 record. Peavy nevertheless had a stellar 2.96 ERA, compared to Chris Sale at 2.27. Both were striking out a lot of hitters, Peavy 101 and Sale 94. But beyond these two the White Sox starting pitching was pedestrian, with the next best numbers from Gavin Floyd at 6-7, a 4.80 ERA and 85 strikeouts. The White Sox pitching kept the team in the lead by limiting walks, they were 6th best in that category, and were 9th in allowing hits and runs.
The problem with the Detroit Tigers is that they have only one Justin Verlander. He continued as baseball’s most dominant pitcher through another half season, despite mediocre Tiger hitting, posting an 8-5 record with an awesomely consistent ERA of 2.69 and a major league leading 121 strikeouts. Behind Verlander, Rick Porcello was a pedestrian 6-5, Max Scherzer 7-5 and Doug Fister 1-5. True, these pitchers can improve and they must in the second half for the Tigers to make a run at another divisional title. The bullpen has kept them close enough to make a second half run. Despite a team ERA of 4.04, the bullpen has turned out 14 saves from Jose Valverde, 18 holds from Joaquin Benoit, and 12 holds from lefty specialist Phil Coke.
Any team with Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder in the middle of its batting order is a threat to contend in the second half. Cabrera batted .315 with 16 homers and 62 RBIs. Fielder went an underrated .294 with 12 homers. Expect both big men to turn on the swings in the second half and put the Tigers back into contention if promising youngsters Brennan Boesch and Don Kelly can improve on their .232 and .186 batting averages. After missing early season games, center fielder Austin Jackson returned and cut down on his strikeouts, batted .326, with 8 homers and 34 RBIs as the leadoff hitter the Tigers thought he could be for them. Rookie outfielders Quinton Berry and Andy Dirks were outstanding during Jackson’s absence, hitting .328 and .306. After a career year, catcher Alex Avila struggled at the plate early, batting .241 with 5 home runs and 22 RBIs. The real problem for Detroit at half season was driving in runners on base. The Tigers were 6th in team batting average, 7th in hits, but only 13th in runs and 14th in runs batted in.
The New York Yankees have always played with the consistency of Chinese philosophers, never too excited, never too down, always of even keel in the long, hot marathon of a baseball season. The notable exception is, of course, the exuberant Nick Swisher, 46 RBIs, 12 homers, .270, who is treated like the youngest sibling who is not held to the same disciplinary standards as the older children. This is a team, after all, where self expression in the form of haircut of choice is forbidden. Of course, it is easier to conduct yourselves like Buddhist monks when you are stocked with the game’s biggest payroll and thus parade out, day after day, wily veteran players such as Derek Jeter, who led the American League in hitting for most of the first half, and fresh young organization arms such as Ivan Nova, 9-2, 85 strikeouts, and a 4.03 ERA, and David Robertson, relief specialist with 7 holds and a stingy 2.57 ERA. Youngsters Cody Eppley and Clay Rapada possessed ERA of 2.89 and 3.09 with 10 holds combined.
Veteran slugger Raul Ibanez, signed in the off season, has contributed 11 homeruns and 35 RBIs in clutch situations, playing more than planned because of the injury to left fielder, and table setter, Bret Gardner. Veteran third baseman-first baseman Eric Chavez has also made key contributions after resigning late in spring training, swatting 5 big game homeruns and knocking in 13 runs. Andruw Jones contributed 7 homers and 16 RBIs off baseball’s best bench. The Yankees are only 13th in hits but are first in home runs and are a patient 5th in drawing walks.
In late June the Yankees, suffering a five game losing streak, paid a weekend visit to Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets and their always hyper ventilated fans. The Mets, via excellent pitching and timely hitting, contended with the Washington Nationals for first place in the National League’s Eastern Division. Furthermore, the Mets’ knuckleball specialist R.A. Dickey, was in the midst of a monster season, pitching 41 scoreless innings. The Mets, despite a losing record against the cross town dynasty, always contend these Yankee games fiercely, as if they were engaged in the flame throwing Battle of Okinowa during World War II. Indeed all three games of this weekend series were close, two coming down to the final at bat. Yet at the conclusion, the Yankees had taken two out of three games and battered Dickey unmercifully to put an end to his 41 game scoreless streak. The Yankees headed to the All Star break after playing before another hyper ventilated fan base in ancient Fenway Park, located in the shadow of the Fens, Boston’s traditional gay stalking grounds. The Yankees won the opener 10-8 when Teixeira, hitting only .244, knocked in the go ahead run. Andruw Jones came off the bench to sock two home runs and they won game two, 6-1.
As the second half began, the Yankees were essentially getting a look at life after Mariano Rivera, their Hall of Fame closer who has been the most important factor in their 16 year dynasty, and who tore his ACL ligament in his knee on May 4 in Kansas City. Since succeeding Rivera as the Yankees closer, a role he held for the Tampa Bay Rays, Rafael Soriano has been much more effective than he was as Rivera’s set up man, posting a 2-0 record, with 17 saves and a 1.84 ERA. The Yankees have the best bullpen in baseball, even with Rivera, but their starting rotation has now been decimated with injuries. Michael Pineda, their projected Number 2 starter, tore his labrum muscle in his pitching shoulder in spring training. C.C. Sabbathia is out with a strained groin, not an uncommon injury for a man of Sabbathia’s enormous girth. Andy Pettitte’s short comeback was ended with a fractured left ankle. The Yankees aging lineup of Derek Jeter, Nick Swisher, Alexander Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, and Russell Martin will keep them in contention with power hitting, but they are not a sure thing to win a division with Tampa Bay’s superior pitching and the sleeping giant in Boston where the Red Sox are capable of hitting better and some injured players will return.
For the third straight year the lead story in Boston has been the devastating injuries visited upon the Red Sox. The carnage began in spring training when closer Andrew Bailey, traded for outfield prospect Josh Reddick, off to a career year in Oakland, tore his pitching thumb and had to undergo surgery. He has not pitched yet. The same day, February 21, John Lackey hurt his elbow and has had to undergo surgery. Reliever Bobby Jenks, part of the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox bullpen, underwent back surgery, and is in the middle of missing his second complete year while under contract to Boston. Carl Crawford, the highly regarded left fielder signed in free agency from Tampa Bay, and already a disappointment last year, broke his left wrist on March 26 and has not returned. Lead off hitter and outstanding defensive center fielder Jacob Ellsbury separated his shoulder on April 14 and has not returned. Pitcher Chris Carpenter underwent elbow surgery on April 14 and starter Clay Buchholtz went down with an intentional illness on June 20. Worse, Dustin Pedroia, the All Star second baseman and offensive catalyst, already off to his worst start ever with a .263 average, went on the DL on July 7th. Outfielder Marlon Byrd, recently acquired from the Chicago Cubs, was hitting .270 when he tested positive for a performance enhancing drug and was asked to sit out 50 games.
Essentially, the Red Sox offense was all David Ortiz in the first half, as the burly and popular first baseman knocked in 53 runs as of July 1, swatted 21 homers, and batted .305, and who apparently tested positive for a performance enhancing drug during the first MLB random test in 2003, his first year in Boston. Rookie sensation Will Middlebrooks, possessing the perfect name to play third base for the British heritage of New England, hit .304, with 10 homers and 37 RBIs after being called up from the minors. In aggregate, between its sterling bench and starting lineup, the Red Sox have enough hitting, should it get in gear in the second half, to make a serious run against the pitching problems of the Yankees and the anemic offense in Tampa Bay. An ever switching outfield of Daniel Nava, .302, Ryan Sweeney, .292, Cody Ross, .282, Darnell McDonald, .214, and prospect Ryan Kalish, .231, are capable of keeping the Sox around if they can get better starting pitching. Kalish was sent down for more seasoning at the All Star break and Darnell McDonald, who was once suspended for testing positive for marijuana, was traded to the Yankees. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez, playing right field after the decline of Red Sox icon Kevin Youkillis, one of the most dangerous pure fastball hitters in the history of the sport, has had a slow start at .274 with only 6 home runs, although he has driven in 43 runs, and can get hotter and lead the offense in August. Shortstop Mike Aviles has been productive for only a .266 average by knocking in 43 runs, while catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been equally productive with 15 homers and 37 RBIs despite a .254 average. The former Rangers prospect considered more a receiver than batter, Saltalamacchia has blossomed in Fenway and batted fourth much of the season. Of course, Fenway Park has a way of improving everybody’s batting average.
This year’s melodrama in Boston was produced, of course, by the Red Sox new manager, Bobby Valentine, but even earlier than George Vecsey predicted in his March interview with us. Vecsey had guessed Bobby V would create a stir early in the season, but in fact, Valentine created a stir even before spring training when he attempted some macho trash talk like some New York City street fighter by trying to beat up on the Yankees for the benefit of the Red Sox fans. This macho posturing did not go down well with the Boston press, which sees such a role as exclusively to itself, and believes Red Sox managers should act like calm father figures such as Terry Francona, Darrell Johnson, John McNamara, Joe McCarthy, or Ralph Houk, others who have held the post, or to put it another way, be seen and not heard. Valentine is himself a cerebral New Englander, even if his New England roots in Stamford, Connecticut are closer to New York City as the crow flies than Boston. In fact, Valentine’s greatest success as a manager was in Japan, where he was equally diplomat as much as baseball strategist. Valentine did an excellent job quickly assembling a pennant contender around Mike Piazza and other gritty veterans in the late 90s and took the Mets to the 2000 World Series. By New York standards, however, Valentine was not particularly emotional or outrageous. Valentine’s macho posturing did not play well with the fans in Boston either this spring, as he talked too much after losing early, and that was for the fans to do---endlessly—not a new manager. Valentine is a good manager and he oversees a good team, and an organization loaded with talent in the minors, but his personality does not mesh with Boston and how long he will last in his job into next year is probably the question.
The small market Baltimore Orioles were the feel good story of the first half, riding the managerial talents of Buck Showalter and a solid bullpen to a second place perch behind the Yankees. Only two starters had .500 records, Orioles ace Jason Hammel and reclamation project Wei-Yin Chen, once a reliable starter for the Yankees until the silly designated out rule in the National League forced Chen to bat against the Houston Astros in an interleague game and he promptly tore his ankle to shreds, the worst designated out injury in Houston since Andy Pettitte shredded his left elbow attempting to bunt.
Making the pitcher bat is the modern equivalent of forcing NFL quarterbacks to play middle line backer just because they might have in high school. It is the bullpen in Camden Yards that probably boasts the best 1-2 punch in all of baseball with closer Jim Johnson and Pedro Strop. Strop has 13 holds with a team leading 1.25 ERA, and tall Jim Johnson leads all of baseball with 23 saves and a sterling 1.30 ERA. Darren O’Day is 4-0 with 3 holds and a flashy 2.28 ERA.
It is on offense where Showalter, who took the 1995 Yankees to their first playoff in 14 years and built the World Champion 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, has earned the accolades that he is a manager of the year candidate. The Orioles, in fact, perch in second place despite ranking 22nd in hits and 23rd in batting average. Fortunately they are 4th in home runs. They have one hitter, center fielder Adam Jones, batting over .300, and Jones has also slugged 19 homers and 41 runs batted in. Perhaps most impressively, Showalter has essentially used career utility player Wilson Betemit as a starter, playing him most days but moving him around between third base and first base.
The Toronto Blue Jays are said to have imminent young prospects that will make them contenders, therefore the only explanation for their poor first half is that these future stars are lost somewhere up in the Yukon, searching for the ghost of Jack London, the adventure writer of the early 20th century. Mainly what you need to know about the Blue Jays in the first half is that they were 25th in team ERA, 26th in hits allowed, 26th in runs allowed, and 29th in the majors in giving up earned runs. Because the Cirque du Soleil is based in Montreal and a town can only have one circus, in my expert opinion, the Blue Jays serve as the circus in Toronto during its magnificent summers, and an alternative to the Shaw Festival for insightful tourists at Niagara on the Lake.
The leader of the Blue Jays circus is Jose Bautista, an ex journeyman outfielder who has made the biggest leap in production from his early career since David Ortiz arrived in Boston from Minnesota as a .188 hitter and commenced to crush the baseball all through the pinball machine that passes for Fenway Park. Having my Roger Clemens book, proving his innocence of taking performance enhancing drugs, turned down by a Hollywood screenwriter in early July on the heels of multiple rejections over five years, has prompted me to accept the logic of baseball writers and state my opinion (opinions cannot be sued for libel under American law) that asserts Bautista takes some kind of magical steroids that are not detectable by present testing methods and accounted for the 27 home runs, 64 RBIs and 10 doubles he hit in the first half. After all, Bautista once hit only 15 home runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates. And you know what that means if you hit more home runs after leaving Pittsburgh. Equally suspicious was Edwin Encarnacion, an aging veteran of such teams as the Florida Marlins and Cinncinnati Reds, who slugged 22 home runs, 14 doubles, 56 RBIs and batted .296. In fact, the Blue Jays were second in home runs in all of baseball, proof of a circus if I ever saw such proof, and much more interesting than the PR gimmick called a home run derby at the All Star this week in KC, a city named after legendary baseball outfielder and manager, Casey Stengel.
It is next to impossible to contend for the pennant when you rank 16th in homers, 17th in RBIs, 18th in hits, 27th in batting average, 28th in hits, when your franchise hitter, Evan Longoria, is out with a torn hamstring, when your clutch power hitter Matt Joyce sits with a strained oblique muscle, and when your highest hitting regular starter, center fielder B.J. Upton, is hitting only .253. Yet the Tampa Bay Rays ended the first half over .500, in third place, and were in shouting distance of the Yankees, Orioles, and Red Sox. Manager Joe Maddon has done another fabulous job in 2012 with his brand of strong, fundamental baseball. Although their heralded pitching staff has underperformed, (7th in hits allowed, 8th in earned runs and 9th in ERA) their solid defense, second in errors allowed, has limited the damage. And despite weak hitting, they are second in the majors in walks. Their starting rotation of David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, James Shields, and Matt Moore is the best in baseball since Maddox, Smoltz, Glavine, and Avery in Atlanta. Price is probably the game’s premier left hander, and his first half numbers as of July 1 did nothing to discourage that idea: 11-4, 2.92 and 97 strikeouts. Jeremy Hellickson was only 4-4 but possessed a 3.44 ERA. James Shields and Matt Moore disappointed with ERAs of 4.04 and 4.19. Yet Shields had mowed down 99 batters and Moore 90. The Blue Jays bullpen is deep and good. Fernando Rodney saved 22 games and sported a commanding 1.04 ERA. Jake McGee accomplished 9 holds and a 1.73 ERA. Wade Davis held five games with a 2.92 ERA and Joel Peralta saved two games and held 16 others despite a 4.94 ERA
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE: A FIRST HALF REVIEW --- THAT’S WHY THEY
PLAY THE GAMES
By: David Rabinowe
Baseball is an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in
bacon. At the beginning of the season there was no way for me to know what I
would lead with when I wrote this review.
Well, because I am a Mets fan – and because you should never bury the
lead - there is only one place for this article to begin: Friday, June 1, 2012
– a day Mets fans have been waiting over 50 years for – Johan Santana’s No
Hitter. Yup, that memory is better than a pan full of sizzling bacon!
Ironically choosing that game also brings into stark relief
the three major themes of the National League’s first half: dominant pitching, surprises stars on surprise
teams, and finally the defining baseball problem, the Umpires.
Johan’s game had it all; it was a microcosm of the NL first
half. At the start of the year the Mets were picked to finish last, and Johan
Santana was the definition of a question mark.
Coming off injury, the Mets were hoping to get 25 starts out of him;
yet, he toed the rubber opening day. Going into that June 1 game against the
Cardinals, the Redbirds lead the league in almost every offensive
category. They were probably the least
likely team in the league to be no hit. So, the game featured dominant
pitching, by a surprise star on a surprise team, and what was that other
issue…oh yeah the umpires.
I’m a Mets fan, so I am just going to relish the first no
hitter in our history and not really complain, but the Beltran ball down the
left field line was a hit. It wasn’t close. Chalk flew up. It was obvious. The
umpires blew the call.
Ok, Ok, Ok…there was more to the NL first half then just
that game…but the themes are the same.
Dominant Pitching: For a while early on it seemed we were
going to have a no hitter every week. In addition to Johan’s Gem, we saw a
perfect game by Matt Cain, and the evolution of R.A. Dickey, maybe the most dominant pitcher in
the major leagues. All he did was throw back-to-back one-hitters and go about a
month without giving up a run. They say
baseball runs in cycles, the dead ball era, the live ball era, the steroid era,
well…I think we are in a new era – the “specialized pitcher” vs. the “Swing for
the Fences Hitter” era. So far, advantage pitchers.
|
Team
| <><><><>
W
| <><><><>
L
| <><><><>
Pct.
| <><><><>
GB
| <><><><>
Home
| <><><><>
Road
| <><><><>
East
| <><><><>
Cent.
| <><><><>
West
| <><><><>
L10
| <><><><>
Strk
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
49
| <><><><>
34
| <><><><>
.590
| <><><><>
-
| <><><><>
24-16
| <><><><>
25-18
| <><><><>
16-9
| <><><><>
12-7
| <><><><>
11-10
| <><><><>
6-4
| <><><><>
L 1
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
46
| <><><><>
39
| <><><><>
.541
| <><><><>
4
| <><><><>
20-22
| <><><><>
26-17
| <><><><>
12-13
| <><><><>
16-13
| <><><><>
10-3
| <><><><>
6-4
| <><><><>
W 4
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
46
| <><><><>
40
| <><><><>
.535
| <><><><>
4½
| <><><><>
26-20
| <><><><>
20-20
| <><><><>
18-12
| <><><><>
9-14
| <><><><>
11-7
| <><><><>
6-4
| <><><><>
L 1
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
41
| <><><><>
44
| <><><><>
.482
| <><><><>
9
| <><><><>
22-22
| <><><><>
19-22
| <><><><>
12-13
| <><><><>
13-12
| <><><><>
11-6
| <><><><>
6-4
| <><><><>
L 2
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
37
| <><><><>
50
| <><><><>
.425
| <><><><>
14
| <><><><>
17-27
| <><><><>
20-23
| <><><><>
11-22
| <><><><>
12-7
| <><><><>
9-11
| <><><><>
1-9
| <><><><>
L 4
| <><><><>
Before the year started, Philly was supposed to run
away with the division, and was a favorite to represent the NL in the World
Series. Miami, in an attempt to close the gap with Philly signed Jose Reyes,
who has had a pedestrian first half. The Mets were supposed to challenge the
Nationals who had young, raw talent for the basement, and Atlanta was supposed
to be too old to be any real threat. Seriously…look at these standings. How is
it possible that at the All-Star Break an entire division is a surprise?
Now, moving to the central division…did I mention
the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place? (Ok, maybe I did end up burying the
lead!) Take a look:
|
Team
| <><><><>
W
| <><><><>
L
| <><><><>
Pct.
| <><><><>
GB
| <><><><>
Home
| <><><><>
Road
| <><><><>
East
| <><><><>
Cent.
| <><><><>
West
| <><><><>
L10
| <><><><>
Strk
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
48
| <><><><>
37
| <><><><>
.565
| <><><><>
-
| <><><><>
29-14
| <><><><>
19-23
| <><><><>
11-10
| <><><><>
20-11
| <><><><>
7-8
| <><><><>
8-2
| <><><><>
W 2
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
47
| <><><><>
38
| <><><><>
.553
| <><><><>
1
| <><><><>
23-16
| <><><><>
24-22
| <><><><>
13-8
| <><><><>
17-15
| <><><><>
10-7
| <><><><>
6-4
| <><><><>
W 3
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
46
| <><><><>
40
| <><><><>
.535
| <><><><>
2½
| <><><><>
23-20
| <><><><>
23-20
| <><><><>
8-13
| <><><><>
20-15
| <><><><>
10-5
| <><><><>
6-4
| <><><><>
W 2
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
40
| <><><><>
45
| <><><><>
.471
| <><><><>
8
| <><><><>
22-21
| <><><><>
18-24
| <><><><>
3-6
| <><><><>
16-17
| <><><><>
15-13
| <><><><>
6-4
| <><><><>
W 1
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
33
| <><><><>
52
| <><><><>
.388
| <><><><>
15
| <><><><>
19-20
| <><><><>
14-32
| <><><><>
11-14
| <><><><>
12-20
| <><><><>
5-8
| <><><><>
7-3
| <><><><>
W 1
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
33
| <><><><>
53
| <><><><>
.384
| <><><><>
15½
| <><><><>
24-21
| <><><><>
9-32
| <><><><>
7-11
| <><><><>
13-20
| <><><><>
7-13
| <><><><>
1-9
| <><><><>
L 1
| <><><><>
Admittedly the Cubs and Houston were expected to be
bad, and they are, but…THE PIRATES IN FIRST PLACE? I know St. Louis lost Tony
LaRussa and Albert Pujols but they are the defending champions, and they are
2.5 games behind…THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES! The last time the Pirates had a
winning record was…1992! Seriously…1992! Did I mention Baseball was an enigma? Wait
a minute…I need more bacon.
Finally, let’s take a look the NL West:
|
Team
| <><><><>
W
| <><><><>
L
| <><><><>
Pct.
| <><><><>
GB
| <><><><>
Home
| <><><><>
Road
| <><><><>
East
| <><><><>
Cent.
| <><><><>
West
| <><><><>
L10
| <><><><>
Strk
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
47
| <><><><>
40
| <><><><>
.540
| <><><><>
-
| <><><><>
27-16
| <><><><>
20-24
| <><><><>
9-5
| <><><><>
14-11
| <><><><>
18-15
| <><><><>
4-6
| <><><><>
L 3
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
46
| <><><><>
40
| <><><><>
.535
| <><><><>
½
| <><><><>
26-16
| <><><><>
20-24
| <><><><>
7-10
| <><><><>
17-11
| <><><><>
15-11
| <><><><>
3-7
| <><><><>
L 2
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
42
| <><><><>
43
| <><><><>
.494
| <><><><>
4
| <><><><>
23-21
| <><><><>
19-22
| <><><><>
8-12
| <><><><>
7-8
| <><><><>
18-17
| <><><><>
4-6
| <><><><>
W 3
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
34
| <><><><>
53
| <><><><>
.391
| <><><><>
13
| <><><><>
17-27
| <><><><>
17-26
| <><><><>
6-13
| <><><><>
6-14
| <><><><>
14-19
| <><><><>
6-4
| <><><><>
L 3
| <><><><>
|
| <><><><>
33
| <><><><>
52
| <><><><>
.388
| <><><><>
13
| <><><><>
18-25
| <><><><>
15-27
| <><><><>
7-12
| <><><><>
10-10
| <><><><>
14-17
| <><><><>
4-6
| <><><><>
W 1
| <><><><>
Finally, a little sanity. SF was your favorite to
win the division, and they are right there, despite a poor year from their Ace
Tim Linsecum. Don Mattingly has done a great job with the Dodgers, who got
their financial house in order and will likely get the league’s best player
back early in the second half. San Diego
was supposed to be bad…but it’s San Diego am I really supposed to feel bad for
them? Have you seen their weather for the last 100 years?
So, on the night the National League has won home
field in the World Series, (by winning an exhibition game – don’t get me
started) let’s hand out some awards and make a few predictions:
1st Half MVP = Joey Votto
1st Half CY Young = R.A. Dickey
1st Half Manager of the year = tie: Davey
Johnson and Terry Collins.
1st Half Bust = Cliff Lee (He has pitched
well, but only well enough to lose. He has one win. ONE)
And some predictions:
NL East Winner: Washington (if they let Strasberg
Pitch – and see, I am not a complete homer!)
NL Central Winner: St. Louis (Too many veterans, I
think they find a way)
NL West: San Francisco (Just too much Pitching)
Wild Card 1: The L.A. Dodgers
Wild Card 2: The NY Mets. (Ok, I am a homer)
Wild Card Winner: Yup RA Dickey throws a gem, Mets
win.
Mets v. St. Louis
= Mets Washington v. SF = SF
Mets v. SF = Oh what
the heck…If Pittsburgh can be in first place at the All Star Break the Mets can
represent the NL in the World Series, Right?
