Bill Simmons, my favorite sports columnist, wrote this 9000 word column, Manny Being Manipulated.  Instead of doing things like spending time with my children I read the whole thing and loved it. Bill’s theory is that Manny is not a bad guy and that he was manipulated by his evil agent, Scott Boras, to dump on the Red Sox and stop playing. But while Vince Carter is evil for quitting on his team, Manny isn’t because of other evidence

I think Bill is right and I want to believe him.  I am finding myself rooting for Manny and I rarely felt that way for Vince (okay maybe a few times but he looks so bad in his Nets uniform while Manny looks fantastic in his Dodgers uniform).  Manny is hitting like Ted Williams, his new teammates seem to love him and he has that playful exuberance that I last saw in a young Roberto Alomar.  On the other hand Vince Carter still plays like it is such a chore playing basketball for a living.  Obviously I’m not over Vince Carter, I gave him my heart and he left me and went to New Jersey.

Anyway I found the following quote from Bill Simmons rang true with me.

You love sports most when you’re 16, then you love it a little bit less every year. And it happens because of things like this.

ESPN – Manny Being Manipulated

I hope Manny resigns with the Dodgers.  But I agree with Bill Simmons that he will lead the Dodgers to the World Series and then sign with The Former Evil Empire, the Yankees.

Categories: Baseball
No Comments »

With only two weeks left in the season I could still only get 5 out of 8 right in my predictions.  In fact my predictions at the All-Star break were better, I got 7 out of 8 right.

Anyway here are my predictions for the MLB Divisonal Playoffs.

Tampa Bay Rays over Chicago White Sox in 3 games (maybe 5)

The Rays had the better record in a much tougher division and have a strong home record.

Shields and Kazmir are much stronger than Vazquez and Buehrle.  I am assuming Garza goes in Game 3 which could be close against Floyd.  And Danks could beat the Rays number four pitcher.  But in Game 5, if it goes that far, I don’t see Vazquez beating Shields in Tampa Bay.

I am cheering for the Rays to win it all.

Philadelphia Phillies over Milwaukee Brewers in 4 games (or Brewers in 5)

If we assume CC Sabathia will win Game 2 and Hamels will win Games 1 and 4 against Gallardo and Bush then the pivotal game is Game 3, Suppan vs. Moyer.  Moyer has been the better pitcher this season so Phillies in 4.  Plus the Phillies have a better bullpen and a better lineup.  But if somehow the Brewers win one either Games 1, 3, or 4 then they will probably win Game 5 and take the series.

I will be rooting for the Brewers.  Philadelphia fans are mean, they don’t deserve a winner.  Well so are Boston fans but they’ve won a lot recently so I guess karma doesn’t count.

Los Angeles Dodgers over Chicago Cubs in 4 games

This is really a long shot but I think the Dodgers have a shot.

1. Manny Ramirez is amazing.  He’s hitting almost .400 for the Dodgers.
2. The rest of the Dodgers lineup is better than people expect.  I am a fan of Derek Loney and Matt Kemp.
3. Derek Lowe has been the best pitcher in the NL in the second half and is a terrific postseason pitcher.
4. The Cubs starters are not appearing that healthy.  Zambrano, except for his no hitter, has an over 9 ERA and Harden is throwing 85 MPH.  I also don’t believe that much in Dempster.
5. I see this breakdown for the games.
   • Game 1 – Derek Lowe winning against Dempster in a close game.
   • Game 2 – Chad Billingsley beating an imploding Carlos Zambrano.
   • Game 3 – Kuroda possibly losing to Harden not because Harden pitches well but because the Cubs offense, best in the league, catches fire this game.
   • Game 4 – Derek Lowe, pitching on three days rest, beats Lilly in Game 4. Chicago Cubs fans cry again for the 100th straight year.

Of course if Zambrano and Harden are healthy then it’s no contest, Dodgers are dead.

I will be cheering for the Dodgers just to see more of Manny going crazy.  And isn’t Chan Ho Park on the Dodgers?

Los Angeles Angels over Boston Red Sox in 5 games

This was the toughest to predict.  Right now the Boston Red Sox look a little banged up and Beckett is not pitching until game 3 which means he only pitches once in this series.

On the other hand Lackey has not been pitching well lately and always seems to do poorly against the Red Sox.

However this is not your past Angels, this is the best Angels team I have ever seen.  And this is not your past Red Sox, this is not as formidable of a team.  The Angels beat the Red Sox eight out of nine times this season and they acquired Mark Teixeira while the Red Sox had to give up Manny.

It could really go either way.  I am going to say whoever wins Game 1 wins the series.

My fervent desire for the playoffs is “Anyone but the Red Sox.”

Categories: Baseball
1 Comment »

I came up with these predictions after the All-Star break but I did not write them down until now.

AL East – Tampa Bay Rays
AL Central – Chicago White Sox
AL West – LA Angels
AL Wild Card – Boston Red Sox

NL East – Philadelphia Phillies
NL Central – Chicago Cubs
NL West – Arizona Diamondbacks
NL Wild Card – Milwaukee Brewers

Compared to my previous predictions, they have not changed too much.  The AL Central is the one I really got wrong and I was wrong about the Rockies.  I am kind of proud how I predicted the Rays could win the wild card.

With less than two weeks left in the season it looks like this will be the final outcome.  ESPN’s Hunt for October seems to agree with this prediction.

AL East - Boston Red Sox
AL Central – Chicago White Sox
AL West – LA Angels
AL Wild Card - Tampa Bay Rays

NL East – Philadelphia Phillies
NL Central – Chicago Cubs
NL West – Los Angeles Dodger
NL Wild Card – New York Mets

The only question is who will win the NL East and who will win the wild card.  It is sad that the Milwaukee Brewers won’t make it, especially since they will lose their two best pitchers in the offseason, Sabathia and Sheets.  But in the end, it’s just hard for small market teams to compete.

AL division playoffs:

Anaheim beats Tampa Bay
Boston beats Chicago

ALCS:

Boston beats Anaheim (could go the other way, depends on Boston’s health)

NL division playoffs:

LA beats Philadelphia (not sure about this)
Chicago beats New York

NLCS:

Chicago beats LA

World Series:

Boston beats Chicago

Please, anyone but Boston!  I don’t want Chicago to win either.  Go Tampa Bay!

Categories: Baseball
1 Comment »

Well, the season is over for my Toronto Blue Jays.  I was hoping they could win at least three out of four against the Red Sox but instead they lost three out of four.  It does not surprise me though, the Red Sox are better in every category than the Blue Jays.

Here is a strange photo from the Red Sox victory.  First it looks like Dustin Pedroia has been photoshopped over Lyle Overbay.  Second it is amusing that Dustin Pedroia is laughing at Lyle Overbay but not surprising considering what I read in this ESPN the Magazine article, 170 Pounds of Mouth.  Dustin is probably laughing because he knows that Lyle Overbay is safe as replays showed.

Tags: blue jays,red sox
Categories: Baseball
No Comments »

The Blue Jays have been playing surprisingly well lately and they start a three game series with the Yankees where conceivably they could win two out of three.  Their starting pitchers for this series are Burnett, Purcey, Halladay while the Yankees’ are Rasner, Pettitte, Ponson.

The Blue Jays really aren’t good but I can take comfort in the fact they could finish the season ahead of the Yankees just like I took comfort two seasons ago when they finished ahead of the Red Sox.  It was nice to see them just sweep the Red Sox, wish I could have been at the game at Fenway when Beckett was blown away.

Tags: blue jays
Categories: Baseball
No Comments »

These are the results of who is all-time greatest Blue Jay .  I am disappointed because I think Joe Carter is considerably overrated.  He is a good guy though, I think he’s a Chrisitan.

1) Who is the all-time greatest player in Blue Jays history?

28.7% Joe Carter (1991-1997):

Walk-off home run won 1993 World Series.

23.0% Roy Halladay (1998-present):

Control artist has a .667 winning percentage.

12.1% Carlos Delgado (1993-2004):

Hit 40 or more home runs three times with Blue Jays.

11.6% Roberto Alomar (1991-1995):

Hit .480 in 1993 World Series win over Philadelphia.

9.3% Dave Stieb (1979-1992, 1998):

Underrated ace was perennially victimized by poor run support.

7.7% George Bell (1981-1990):

Won 1987 MVP with 47-HR, .605 SLG performance.

4.8% John Olerud (1989-1996):

OBP machine hit .363 in 1993.

1.6% Tony Fernandez (1983-1990, 1993, 1998-1999):

Late-career surge with Jays outdid his original stint.

1.1% Tom Henke (1985-1992):

Struck out 100 or more batters three times in closer role.

0.3% Lloyd Moseby (1980-1989):

Polished outfielder combined speed, power and defense.

Tags: blue jays
Categories: Baseball
No Comments »

ESPN Baseball Tonight is running polls asking to name each franchise’s three greatest players.  Right now they are running a poll for the All-Time Greatest Blue Jay.

In my mind it is not too close.  It has to be Roberto Alomar.  When we traded for him I said “Finally we have a superstar, now we can win the World Series.”  It was Roberto Alomar who hit the homerun off Dennis Eckersley in the 1992 ALCS and finally got the monkey off the Blue Jays’ back.  When Roberto Alomar was playing for the Blue Jays I thought he would be the greatest second baseman of all time.

It was weird how his career played out, spitting on an umpire, going from team to team, having vision problems at the end that forced him to retire.  I am not even sure he will get into the Hall of Fame though I think he will.  Wikipedia says this about thim.

Roberto Alomar Velázquez (born February 5, 1968 in Ponce, Puerto Rico) is a former Major League Baseball player (1988-2004), considered by many to be one of the best second basemen in history.^[1][2] He holds the record for most Gold Glove Awards at that position,^[3] and has also won the second most Silver Slugger Awards for a second baseman.^[4]

Roberto Alomar – Wikipedia

Here is the actual poll. My second place vote goes to John Olerud because I love the guy and my third place vote goes to Roy Halladay. Where is Jimmy Key?

Who is the all-time greatest player in Blue Jays history?
	Roberto Alomar (1991-1995): Hit .480 in 1993 World Series win over Philadelphia.
	George Bell (1981-1990): Won 1987 MVP with 47-HR, .605 SLG performance.
	Joe Carter (1991-1997): Walk-off home run won 1993 World Series.
	Carlos Delgado (1993-2004): Hit 40 or more home runs three times with Blue Jays.
	Tony Fernandez (1983-1990, 1993, 1998-1999): Late-career surge with Jays outdid his original stint.
	Roy Halladay (1998-present): Control artist has a .667 winning percentage.
	Tom Henke (1985-1992): Struck out 100 or more batters three times in closer role.
	Lloyd Moseby (1980-1989): Polished outfielder combined speed, power and defense.
	John Olerud (1989-1996): OBP machine hit .363 in 1993.
	Dave Stieb (1979-1992, 1998): Underrated ace was perennially victimized by poor run support.

Tags: blue jays
Categories: Baseball
3 Comments »

This article sums up nicely what I have believed for awhile, that the closer position is the most overrated position in sports.  What is interesting to see is how the percentage of wins when a team has a lead in the ninth inning has not changed since 1900, even with the advent in the past two decades of the closer.

I think what baseball teams should do is have a strategy coordinator, not unlike the offensive/defensive coordinator in football.  This guy would set up in a booth and direct the defense or call plays for the offense.  He would be a true stats guy who would understand which play has the highest probability of success, not unlike a poker player.  He would bring in the closer at the most crucial point of the game, not just in the ninth inning.

One benefit of such a position is it would relieve the manager of this responsibility and the scrutiny that goes with it.  The manager’s primary job in my opinion is getting the most out of his players.  But fans often evaluate managers by their strategical decisions, which in some cases are nonsensical (e.g. batting Joe Carter third while John Olerud is hitting .400).

I should own a baseball team.

Categories: Baseball
1 Comment »

The Blue Jays fired John Gibbons, who will probably be best remembered for challenging Shea Hillenbrand to a fight and then getting into a shoving match with Ted Lilly, and hired Cito Gaston.

Gaston is the manager responsible for four of the five AL East championships in team history, as well as its two AL pennants and World Series wins.
Toronto Blue Jays Fire John Gibbons: Is J.P. Ricciardi Still in One Piece?

I think John Gibbons is a bad manager simply because I don’t like managers that are so confrontational with their players. I prefer the “player’s manager.” Cito Gaston is more of a player’s manager but I don’t think he’s a great manager either. He makes curious strategic decisions (hitting Joe Carter third, benching John Olerud against lefties when he was batting over .300 against them, etc.), is not good with rookies and has also had confrontations with players (e.g. David Wells, Derek Bell, etc.) I think this hiring is more about nostalgia and not about reality.

In the Toronto Star there was an interesting article saying Surely Ricciardi will be the next to go. I have been saying for quite awhile that Ricciardi is a horrible GM and that he is the reason for the Blue Jays’ problems, not Gibbons.

1. Ricciardi is arrogant. He demeans his own players and now he demeans players from other teams such as his recent remarks about Adam Dunn. The Toronto Star article states that MLB players no longer want to come to Toronto because of Ricciardi.
2. His draft record is terrible. The Jays have one of the weakest farm systems and have had almost no prospects succeed at the major league level. Compare that to their contenders the Rays, the Red Sox, and the Yankees, all who have been developing quality players.
3. The payroll is no longer an excuse. The Blue Jays payroll is in the top 15, maybe even the top 10. It’s competitive now but spending a large percentage of it on questionable contracts like Vernon Well’s and A.J. Burnett’s has made the Blue Jays uncompetitive.

You know whom the Blue Jays should hire from their past? Pat Gillick! The man uses an old school approach and sometimes I did not agree with it but his record is amazing. Every franchise he has managed has won, the Blue Jays, the Orioles, the Mariners, the Phillies.

Tags: blue jays
Categories: Baseball
1 Comment »

It was a friend, Paul Kahn, who pointed out to me the Sports Guy’s article which had an “apology” in response to my angry letter. In that same article Paul pointed out a hilarious YouTube video from the Sports Guy which Paul said is “my reward.”

I love the 80′s, I love the Eric Davis impersonation, I love Paul Molitor, I wish the video included a John Olerud impersonation, and I miss Phil “Toilet Bowl” Plantier.

Tags: youtube
Categories: Baseball
No Comments »