So my posting of the results of this poll has been pretty delayed, but it looks like it's going to work out because of some more recent events that I can talk about in this post that I wouldn't have been able to talk about had I posted these results on time. Anyway, here are the results from the last poll:
Are Umpires doing a good job for the most part?
Yes 8 (61%)
No 5 (38%)
The majority of you, albeit not an incredibly powerful majority, seem to think umpires are doing a good job for the most part. Part of the reason I posted this was because I was curious to see how much Jim Joyce's mistake would effect people's votes. I'm sure last year's post-season blunders also helped contribute to 38 percent of the voters not thinking the umpires are doing a good job.
Interestingly, ESPN ran a poll of players to see how they felt umpires were doing, and also to see who the players felt the best umpires in the game were. 65 percent of players (which is actually close to the results of this poll) seem to think that the umpires are doing an average job or better. More interestingly, they found that Jim Joyce was the bes tumpire in the major leagues according to the players, and this poll was done after the Galarraga game.
Overall, I have to agree that umpires are doing their job. They do make their share of mistakes, but so do officials in every other sport. Umpires are right the majority of the time, unless they are CB Bucknor, in which case the strike zone seems to change on every pitch.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Stephen Strasburg
So, a couple of weeks ago I posted a poll about Stephen Strasburg that you guys participated in, and the majority of you seemed to think he was overrated, and I agreed, stating that he would be a major league contributor very soon, but also feeling he would not be as overpowering as many had projected.
If his first two starts are any indication, he is going to be overpowering. In 12.1 innings, Strasburg has struck out 22 batters and walked only 5 (although those 5 were all in today's start). While walking 5 in 12.1 innings is not an impressive start, a 22-5 K/BB ratio is fairly impressive.
It should be noted that the two offenses that Strasburg has faced, the Pirates and the Indians, are rather anemic, and near the bottom of their respective leagues in Runs Scored, and this could have something to do with his fast start. However, the fact remains that the line-ups he has faced so far ar emost certainly an upgrade from the AA and AAA line-ups he was facing, and he is essentially continuing to do what he did in the minor leagues.
I still feel that Strasburg will likely hit a bump in the road at some point, and there's no way he maintains his incredibly low ERA or his enormous K/9 rate. However, I do think he will surpass the expectations that I originally set for him.
Part of the reason I feel this way is because he was able to excel in his first start under what was immense pressure. He gave the Nationals their first sell out in the regular season that wasn't Opening Day since like, the park opened. He also had everyone in sports media watching him, and his team giving him a nickname like "Jesus". Strasburg was able to tune all of this pressure out, and completely and utterly dominate the Pirates. Mentally, he is tough enough for the extremely mentally tough game of baseball, and if he has that to go with the pitches he has, he is going to be very hard to stop.
If his first two starts are any indication, he is going to be overpowering. In 12.1 innings, Strasburg has struck out 22 batters and walked only 5 (although those 5 were all in today's start). While walking 5 in 12.1 innings is not an impressive start, a 22-5 K/BB ratio is fairly impressive.
It should be noted that the two offenses that Strasburg has faced, the Pirates and the Indians, are rather anemic, and near the bottom of their respective leagues in Runs Scored, and this could have something to do with his fast start. However, the fact remains that the line-ups he has faced so far ar emost certainly an upgrade from the AA and AAA line-ups he was facing, and he is essentially continuing to do what he did in the minor leagues.
I still feel that Strasburg will likely hit a bump in the road at some point, and there's no way he maintains his incredibly low ERA or his enormous K/9 rate. However, I do think he will surpass the expectations that I originally set for him.
Part of the reason I feel this way is because he was able to excel in his first start under what was immense pressure. He gave the Nationals their first sell out in the regular season that wasn't Opening Day since like, the park opened. He also had everyone in sports media watching him, and his team giving him a nickname like "Jesus". Strasburg was able to tune all of this pressure out, and completely and utterly dominate the Pirates. Mentally, he is tough enough for the extremely mentally tough game of baseball, and if he has that to go with the pitches he has, he is going to be very hard to stop.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Bud Selig's Comments on Jim Joyce's Blown Call
So, as expected, Bud Selig quickly came out with comments in regard to Joyce's blown call.
Unshockingly, Selig said he would not reverse the call, which I think is a good idea because (as Kurkjian notes in that video), it would open up a can of worms in regard to baseball. While some seem to be worried that past umpire mistakes would have to be re-examined and overturned if Selig overturned this call, I thinkt he main problem would be the future. I can almost guarantee that in the future, had Selig overturned the call, there would have been a situation in which something happens that causes a team or player to demand another umpiring decision to be overturned. The problem is, in most cases, an umpire call is not even easy to talk about overturning because you can't reply certain parts of the game. While it's true that the blown call was on the very last out of the game, I still feel it would have created problems in the future in regard to people demanding the commissioner over turn umpire calls.
The other important thing that Selig said is that he is going to analyze umpiring and figur eout what they can do to increase accuracy. In other words, he's considering implementing further instant replay reviews. I'm glad to see that he is considering this, the "Special Committee" he appointed during the off-season has also apparently been throwing the idea around. I think it's important that they get it right if they do implement it, and limit the number of reviews that a manager can ask for, otherwise the system would be abused. It would even kind of make sense if it were the umpires themselves who decided when to use the instant replay review, such as during an extremely close play like the one that occurred during Galarraga's 1-hitter.
Should be interesting to see what happens with instant replay, I have a pretty strong feeling that it will probably be implemented by the 2011 season.
Unshockingly, Selig said he would not reverse the call, which I think is a good idea because (as Kurkjian notes in that video), it would open up a can of worms in regard to baseball. While some seem to be worried that past umpire mistakes would have to be re-examined and overturned if Selig overturned this call, I thinkt he main problem would be the future. I can almost guarantee that in the future, had Selig overturned the call, there would have been a situation in which something happens that causes a team or player to demand another umpiring decision to be overturned. The problem is, in most cases, an umpire call is not even easy to talk about overturning because you can't reply certain parts of the game. While it's true that the blown call was on the very last out of the game, I still feel it would have created problems in the future in regard to people demanding the commissioner over turn umpire calls.
The other important thing that Selig said is that he is going to analyze umpiring and figur eout what they can do to increase accuracy. In other words, he's considering implementing further instant replay reviews. I'm glad to see that he is considering this, the "Special Committee" he appointed during the off-season has also apparently been throwing the idea around. I think it's important that they get it right if they do implement it, and limit the number of reviews that a manager can ask for, otherwise the system would be abused. It would even kind of make sense if it were the umpires themselves who decided when to use the instant replay review, such as during an extremely close play like the one that occurred during Galarraga's 1-hitter.
Should be interesting to see what happens with instant replay, I have a pretty strong feeling that it will probably be implemented by the 2011 season.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Three Perfect Games in One Season...Or Not..
So, tonight Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game, but didn't get credit for it because of a botched umpire call in the 9th inning. That link also has a video, if you want to see how close (or not close, in this case) the play was for the umpire to make a mistake.
It's kind of shocking that that would happen, and it's going to create even more scrutiny for Major League Baseball umpires, something that I know increased following the series of botched calls during the playoffs last year. It's probably also going to lead to an increase in talks about expanding replays for the game.
One of the more shocking things about this botched call is how level-headed Galarraga and his team-mates have been about it. Galarraga and Austin Jackson both stated that they understand that Jim Joyce is human and that he is going ot make mistakes. Many a pitcher would have gone crazy the moment they saw the umpire call the runner safe. Definitely have to give credit to the young Galarraga for keeping his composure.
It should be interesting to see what the MLB says about this, but you can bet that this missed call will probably go down as the worst in history in any sport, simply because a Perfect Game is one of the rarest things in baseball (although they seem to grow on trees lately..), and this umpire's call kept it from happening.
It's kind of shocking that that would happen, and it's going to create even more scrutiny for Major League Baseball umpires, something that I know increased following the series of botched calls during the playoffs last year. It's probably also going to lead to an increase in talks about expanding replays for the game.
One of the more shocking things about this botched call is how level-headed Galarraga and his team-mates have been about it. Galarraga and Austin Jackson both stated that they understand that Jim Joyce is human and that he is going ot make mistakes. Many a pitcher would have gone crazy the moment they saw the umpire call the runner safe. Definitely have to give credit to the young Galarraga for keeping his composure.
It should be interesting to see what the MLB says about this, but you can bet that this missed call will probably go down as the worst in history in any sport, simply because a Perfect Game is one of the rarest things in baseball (although they seem to grow on trees lately..), and this umpire's call kept it from happening.
Poll Results: Stephen Strasburg
Is Stephen Strasburg over-hyped?
Yes. 7 (70%)
No. 3 (30%)
Who's Stephen Strasburg? 0 (0%)
The majority of you seem to feel that Strasburg is certainly an overhyped player, and you're probably right. With the amount of attention he has received, it would be pretty hard for him not to be overhyped, unless he manages to put up an ERA of like 2.50 for the rest of his career.
However, all signs seem to indicate that Strasburg can definitely be an immediatley serviceable major league pitcher. So far in his minor league career, between the Washington Nationals AA and AAA affiliates, Strasburg has has 10 starts. Over those starts, he has put up a 6-2 record with a 1.43 ERA. What's scary is that his peripherals indicate that his numbers could be even better. Strasburg has put up a .795 WHIP, a 10.7 K/9, and a 2.1 BB/9. Those numbers, especially the WHIP, really indicate that Strasburg is way above the skill level of everyone else in the minor leagues. While it's hard to see him posting numbers even close to that in the major leagues (starting pitchers rarely have a WHIP below 1.00), it really indicates that he is going to be a solid pitcher, even right away. I would not be shocked to see Strasburg, who is rumored to make his first start in the major leagues next week, manages to put up an ERA right around 4.00 and have a K/9 of close to 9. Those numbers may not be overwhelming, but they certainly are for a rookie who was drafted last year.
But yes, Strasburg is likely overhyped. Many people will probably be dissapointed if Strasburg puts up a 4.00 ERA during his first major league season simply because of the amount of hype he has received, and some people may be expecting far too much from him. Hopefully he can find a way to handle that scrutiny, and just let his talent carry him.
Yes. 7 (70%)
No. 3 (30%)
Who's Stephen Strasburg? 0 (0%)
The majority of you seem to feel that Strasburg is certainly an overhyped player, and you're probably right. With the amount of attention he has received, it would be pretty hard for him not to be overhyped, unless he manages to put up an ERA of like 2.50 for the rest of his career.
However, all signs seem to indicate that Strasburg can definitely be an immediatley serviceable major league pitcher. So far in his minor league career, between the Washington Nationals AA and AAA affiliates, Strasburg has has 10 starts. Over those starts, he has put up a 6-2 record with a 1.43 ERA. What's scary is that his peripherals indicate that his numbers could be even better. Strasburg has put up a .795 WHIP, a 10.7 K/9, and a 2.1 BB/9. Those numbers, especially the WHIP, really indicate that Strasburg is way above the skill level of everyone else in the minor leagues. While it's hard to see him posting numbers even close to that in the major leagues (starting pitchers rarely have a WHIP below 1.00), it really indicates that he is going to be a solid pitcher, even right away. I would not be shocked to see Strasburg, who is rumored to make his first start in the major leagues next week, manages to put up an ERA right around 4.00 and have a K/9 of close to 9. Those numbers may not be overwhelming, but they certainly are for a rookie who was drafted last year.
But yes, Strasburg is likely overhyped. Many people will probably be dissapointed if Strasburg puts up a 4.00 ERA during his first major league season simply because of the amount of hype he has received, and some people may be expecting far too much from him. Hopefully he can find a way to handle that scrutiny, and just let his talent carry him.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Joe West Makes Another Scene
Joe West has done something new to get some media attention. I blogged about what he did last time, when he made some comments about the Red Sox and the Yankees being an embarassment.
This time, Joe West had some comments about Mark Buehrle and Ozzie Guillen after West ejected both of them in a game earlier this week. The ejections were probably deserved, in that Buehrle was demonstrative in protesting calls on him about balks. It's somewhat understandable he was upset, because in video (at least in my opinion) they really do not look like balks, and it's the move Buehrle has ALWAYS had. Guillen was ejected arguing about the first balk.
These two ejections are not really what bothers me. Instead, I am bothered by the fact that Joe West always seems to feel the need to come out and make comments following things that happen in games. I can really not think of any other umpire who does this. While I understand to a degree, because both Guillen and Buehrle attacked West stating that he was just looking for publicity to promote his CD (West is also a country singer) and also saying that he just likes seeing himself in the media. West's decision to reply THROUGH that very media, in some ways shows that Guillen and Buehrle were right. And just for the record, I don't frequently agree with Ozzie Guillen. While what West said was not exactly inflammatory, and he was just sticking to his story stating that he did nothing disrespectful and was not trying to promote himself, the fact that he allowed himself to even be interviewed about it in many ways should not be happening. They should be his calls, and it should be that.
It doesn't help that there are also rumors going around that Joe West has a publicist, and also a schedule available to his fans of what games he will be umpiring, something else that violates the rules of umpiring.
It should also be noted that the MLB is investigating the incident, because they also seem to be a little tired of West's actions. It should be interesting to see what happens.
This time, Joe West had some comments about Mark Buehrle and Ozzie Guillen after West ejected both of them in a game earlier this week. The ejections were probably deserved, in that Buehrle was demonstrative in protesting calls on him about balks. It's somewhat understandable he was upset, because in video (at least in my opinion) they really do not look like balks, and it's the move Buehrle has ALWAYS had. Guillen was ejected arguing about the first balk.
These two ejections are not really what bothers me. Instead, I am bothered by the fact that Joe West always seems to feel the need to come out and make comments following things that happen in games. I can really not think of any other umpire who does this. While I understand to a degree, because both Guillen and Buehrle attacked West stating that he was just looking for publicity to promote his CD (West is also a country singer) and also saying that he just likes seeing himself in the media. West's decision to reply THROUGH that very media, in some ways shows that Guillen and Buehrle were right. And just for the record, I don't frequently agree with Ozzie Guillen. While what West said was not exactly inflammatory, and he was just sticking to his story stating that he did nothing disrespectful and was not trying to promote himself, the fact that he allowed himself to even be interviewed about it in many ways should not be happening. They should be his calls, and it should be that.
It doesn't help that there are also rumors going around that Joe West has a publicist, and also a schedule available to his fans of what games he will be umpiring, something else that violates the rules of umpiring.
It should also be noted that the MLB is investigating the incident, because they also seem to be a little tired of West's actions. It should be interesting to see what happens.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Poll Results: Salary Cap
Here are the results from this week's poll.. a day late. I got a little distracted by the Roy Oswalt post, apparently.
Should there be a salary cap in baseball?
Yes 7 (63%)
No 3 (27%)
Undecided 1 (9%)
The majority of readers seem to think that a salary cap is necessary, but there is still a fairly sizable minority that seems to think a salary cap shouldn't happen.
This is a hot topic right now because Bud Selig's "special committee" may recommend such a thing, and during the next collective bargaining agreement (after the 2011 season, I believe) it may become an issue. Currently, baseball salaries are the highest of any sport, and that's because it's the only major American sport without a salary cap. Every other sport functions with a salary cap, why can't baseball?
The main reason for that the Major League Baseball Player's Union, which seems to carry considerably more weight than any other player's union in any other sport. As players, the Union obviously wants to insure that players get the most money possible, and really this seems to be their primary concern. The MLB Player's Assocation would have a hard time agreeing to a salary cap.
Would a salary cap help baseball? I think in many ways it would. It's probably the easiest way to bring parity back to the game, and put everyone at the same (or close to the same) level. People would no longer be able to complain about the Yankees and Red Sox "buying championships". All teams would have the same amount of resources to pay their players. The question gets more complicated when you consider whether or not signing bonuses paid to draft picks and international signees, as well as money put into the scouting department, counts towards the salary cap. If those things don't count, the major league teams with deeper pockets would still have an advantage, albeit a smaller one that they have ever had.
Another major question about it is where a cap would be set. Currently, only 8 teams in major league baseball have a payroll over $100 million, meaning 22 teams are already underneath that. One could probably set the salary cap at around 100 million, but there are a lot of teams that can't even afford that (see: Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics), that's the reason they don't approach $100 million anyway. Although, it's conceivable that in a world where everyone had to be under a salary cap, GMs would have an easier time asking their managers for money because the over-powering teams in each division would not be as powerful, for the most part. I think a reasonable place to set the salary cap is somewhere in the middle, something like $80million. Only 12 teams in the major leagues seem unable to reach $80 million at this point, and the extremely deep-pocketed teams would be on the same playing field.
Should there be a salary cap in baseball?
Yes 7 (63%)
No 3 (27%)
Undecided 1 (9%)
The majority of readers seem to think that a salary cap is necessary, but there is still a fairly sizable minority that seems to think a salary cap shouldn't happen.
This is a hot topic right now because Bud Selig's "special committee" may recommend such a thing, and during the next collective bargaining agreement (after the 2011 season, I believe) it may become an issue. Currently, baseball salaries are the highest of any sport, and that's because it's the only major American sport without a salary cap. Every other sport functions with a salary cap, why can't baseball?
The main reason for that the Major League Baseball Player's Union, which seems to carry considerably more weight than any other player's union in any other sport. As players, the Union obviously wants to insure that players get the most money possible, and really this seems to be their primary concern. The MLB Player's Assocation would have a hard time agreeing to a salary cap.
Would a salary cap help baseball? I think in many ways it would. It's probably the easiest way to bring parity back to the game, and put everyone at the same (or close to the same) level. People would no longer be able to complain about the Yankees and Red Sox "buying championships". All teams would have the same amount of resources to pay their players. The question gets more complicated when you consider whether or not signing bonuses paid to draft picks and international signees, as well as money put into the scouting department, counts towards the salary cap. If those things don't count, the major league teams with deeper pockets would still have an advantage, albeit a smaller one that they have ever had.
Another major question about it is where a cap would be set. Currently, only 8 teams in major league baseball have a payroll over $100 million, meaning 22 teams are already underneath that. One could probably set the salary cap at around 100 million, but there are a lot of teams that can't even afford that (see: Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics), that's the reason they don't approach $100 million anyway. Although, it's conceivable that in a world where everyone had to be under a salary cap, GMs would have an easier time asking their managers for money because the over-powering teams in each division would not be as powerful, for the most part. I think a reasonable place to set the salary cap is somewhere in the middle, something like $80million. Only 12 teams in the major leagues seem unable to reach $80 million at this point, and the extremely deep-pocketed teams would be on the same playing field.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Trade Talk: Who will want Roy Oswalt?
Most of you probably know by now that Roy Oswalt has requested to be traded. He seems to be fairly frustrated with the management of the Astros, in that he asked them what their plans were for the future, and Oswalt claims that they didn't really have an answer that he liked.
When you look at Oswalt's numbers for the year, you can understand his frustration. Oswalt has only managed a 2-6 record this year in 9 starts. If you just look at that, Oswalt appears to not be a very good pitcher, but when you look at his other sparkling numbers - like his 2.66 ERA and a 8.9 K/9, it becomes clear that he has gotten next to no run support from an underperforming Houston Astros line-up. It's understandable that he is frustrated by that.
The real question though, is who the potential trade candidates are for Oswalt. Oswalt has stated that he wants to be traded to a contender, and will only waive his no-trade clause if the team that the Astros are in talks with is a team he views as a contender. So far, the only team to officially announce interest in Oswalt is the Washington Nationals, who are sitting one game above .500 and are 4 games back in a closesly contested NL East. It's hard to see Oswalt considering them a contender, especially because many people (including myself) have a hard time seeing the Nationals even finishing the season above .500, Strasburg or not.
As the trade deadline gets closer, it's likely other teams will express interest in Oswalt, because he is pitching so well this season and is a genuine ace in many rotation. However, there is one other obstacle to Oswalt being traded, and that is the amount of guaranteed money left on the contract of a 32-year-old who got injured in 2008 and 2009. Whoever trades for Oswalt will be forced to pay him a prorated amount of the $15 million he is owed this season (depending on when they trade for him), and are also on the hook for $16 million in 2011. They will also be forced to either pick up a $16 million option for 2012 or pay Oswalt a $2 million dollar buy-out. That means whoever trades for Oswalt (assuming the Astros don't eat a portion of the contract), will have to have a lot of payroll flexibility next year to accomodate the $15 million Oswalt will have to be paid. This means that only some very large market teams, or teams who seem to be wanting to expand payroll (like the Nationals) seem like tradely candidates. Obviously, teams will also need to have a pitching need. The fact that there needs to be payroll flexibility seems to rule out teams like the Phillies, who clearly need pitching, but seem to be stretched to their payroll limit.
I could see a team like the Red Sox pursuing Oswalt if the injury to Josh Beckett proves to be more major than is currently thought. The Red Sox certainly have some more payroll flexibility, and will have plenty of money coming off of the books next year between the impending free agencies of Mike Lowell and David Ortiz. However, I can only see this happening in the event that the Red Sox continue to climb up the AL East ladder, and only if Beckett is out for the rest of the season. The rotation the Red Sox would put up for next year would also be completely devastating, assuming everyone pitches to their ability. It would be something like Lester-Beckett-Oswalt-Lackey-Buccholz, and that's not even accounting for a resurgent Dice-K.
It should also be noted that the return that the Astros receive will probably be effected by how much money the Astros decide to take on of what remains on Oswalt's contract. If they trade him as is and expect the team to pick up that colossal amount of money, they'll probably only get one top-shelf prospect.
Who do you think Oswalt will get traded to?
When you look at Oswalt's numbers for the year, you can understand his frustration. Oswalt has only managed a 2-6 record this year in 9 starts. If you just look at that, Oswalt appears to not be a very good pitcher, but when you look at his other sparkling numbers - like his 2.66 ERA and a 8.9 K/9, it becomes clear that he has gotten next to no run support from an underperforming Houston Astros line-up. It's understandable that he is frustrated by that.
The real question though, is who the potential trade candidates are for Oswalt. Oswalt has stated that he wants to be traded to a contender, and will only waive his no-trade clause if the team that the Astros are in talks with is a team he views as a contender. So far, the only team to officially announce interest in Oswalt is the Washington Nationals, who are sitting one game above .500 and are 4 games back in a closesly contested NL East. It's hard to see Oswalt considering them a contender, especially because many people (including myself) have a hard time seeing the Nationals even finishing the season above .500, Strasburg or not.
As the trade deadline gets closer, it's likely other teams will express interest in Oswalt, because he is pitching so well this season and is a genuine ace in many rotation. However, there is one other obstacle to Oswalt being traded, and that is the amount of guaranteed money left on the contract of a 32-year-old who got injured in 2008 and 2009. Whoever trades for Oswalt will be forced to pay him a prorated amount of the $15 million he is owed this season (depending on when they trade for him), and are also on the hook for $16 million in 2011. They will also be forced to either pick up a $16 million option for 2012 or pay Oswalt a $2 million dollar buy-out. That means whoever trades for Oswalt (assuming the Astros don't eat a portion of the contract), will have to have a lot of payroll flexibility next year to accomodate the $15 million Oswalt will have to be paid. This means that only some very large market teams, or teams who seem to be wanting to expand payroll (like the Nationals) seem like tradely candidates. Obviously, teams will also need to have a pitching need. The fact that there needs to be payroll flexibility seems to rule out teams like the Phillies, who clearly need pitching, but seem to be stretched to their payroll limit.
I could see a team like the Red Sox pursuing Oswalt if the injury to Josh Beckett proves to be more major than is currently thought. The Red Sox certainly have some more payroll flexibility, and will have plenty of money coming off of the books next year between the impending free agencies of Mike Lowell and David Ortiz. However, I can only see this happening in the event that the Red Sox continue to climb up the AL East ladder, and only if Beckett is out for the rest of the season. The rotation the Red Sox would put up for next year would also be completely devastating, assuming everyone pitches to their ability. It would be something like Lester-Beckett-Oswalt-Lackey-Buccholz, and that's not even accounting for a resurgent Dice-K.
It should also be noted that the return that the Astros receive will probably be effected by how much money the Astros decide to take on of what remains on Oswalt's contract. If they trade him as is and expect the team to pick up that colossal amount of money, they'll probably only get one top-shelf prospect.
Who do you think Oswalt will get traded to?
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hanley Ramirez's Recent Actions
On Monday, Florida Marlins manager Fredi Gonzales benched Hanley Ramirezfor what he viewed as not playing his hardest. Ramirez made a horrible error in the game, where he booted the ball clear across the field, and then ran slowly after it.
Ramirez countered that fouling a ball off of his knee earlier in the game prevented him from running at full speed. Gonzalez fired back by saying the 24 other guys on the roster would have ran hard after that ball even if they had fouled a ball off of their knee.
Now, to this point, I don't view Ramirez's actions as that bad. It does appear he was loafing in the game, something someone should efinitely not do, especially when in many ways they are the leader of the team. However, it does happen time to time, and his head just may not have been in the game.
The real problem I have is how Ramirez has responded to being benched, by saying things such as "It's his f---ing team, he can do what he wants with it." and saying that he wasn't in the wrong at all. Ramirez is easily the best player on this team, and probably one of the 5 best player sin baseball in terms of Wins Above Replacement, he should not be acting this way when he served as a role model for the other players.
It's a difficult spot for the Marlins, since they locked Hanley up in a six year, $70-million contract that runs through 2014. Obviously they don't want to alienate their superstar, and end up with a Manny Ramirez in 2008 situation, so it's very difficult for them to find a proper way to respond.
Of course, Ramirez could simply have had a better attitude about the situation and admitted his wrong-doing, instead of pouting in the way he is. Hopefully Fredi Gonzales can find a way to smooth things over, that's really the only route that can be taken now.
Who do you side with?
Ramirez countered that fouling a ball off of his knee earlier in the game prevented him from running at full speed. Gonzalez fired back by saying the 24 other guys on the roster would have ran hard after that ball even if they had fouled a ball off of their knee.
Now, to this point, I don't view Ramirez's actions as that bad. It does appear he was loafing in the game, something someone should efinitely not do, especially when in many ways they are the leader of the team. However, it does happen time to time, and his head just may not have been in the game.
The real problem I have is how Ramirez has responded to being benched, by saying things such as "It's his f---ing team, he can do what he wants with it." and saying that he wasn't in the wrong at all. Ramirez is easily the best player on this team, and probably one of the 5 best player sin baseball in terms of Wins Above Replacement, he should not be acting this way when he served as a role model for the other players.
It's a difficult spot for the Marlins, since they locked Hanley up in a six year, $70-million contract that runs through 2014. Obviously they don't want to alienate their superstar, and end up with a Manny Ramirez in 2008 situation, so it's very difficult for them to find a proper way to respond.
Of course, Ramirez could simply have had a better attitude about the situation and admitted his wrong-doing, instead of pouting in the way he is. Hopefully Fredi Gonzales can find a way to smooth things over, that's really the only route that can be taken now.
Who do you side with?
Monday, May 17, 2010
Who is the Best Player in the Major Leagues?
Who do you view as the best position player in the major leagues?
Albert Pujols 9 (56%)
Alex Rodriguez 2 (12%)
Hanley Ramirez 1 (6%)
Miguel Cabrera 1 (6%)
Prince Fielder 0 (0%)
Joe Mauer 3 (18%)
Other (specify in a comment on the blog) 0 (0%)
I did this poll because (obviously) I was curious to see who people thought the best player in the Major Leagues is. The overwhelming numberof votes for Pujols is fairly typical of what I was suspecting, but there are some interesting things that can be found in this poll.
The fact that Joe Mauer received the next highest number of votes (albeit, he was behind by a lot) indicates to me that people really view him as great. Understandably, the man hit .365 last year, which is higher than anything Pujols has ever done, although not by much since Pujols hit .359 in 2003. If Mauer continues to hit around .360 every year with about 30 home runs, like he did last season, it would be much easier to argue for him as the best player in the Major Leagues. The real problem is the fact that he hasn't done this consistently. He bats north of .300 pretty much every year, but he only developed power last year, and hasn't shown that he is going to around 30 home runs again this year. Mauer is undoubtedly the best Catcher in the Major Leagues, though.
I think, as do most of the people who voted on the poll, that Pujols is easily the best player in baseball because of his consistent excellence. At this point, Pujols looks like he is probably the best player of this generation. He is only 30, and looks to be pretty close to a lock for 600 Home Runs with a career batting average over .330. This is something that hasn't been done since the days of Babe Ruth. Just be sure to take in every Pujols at-bat you can, because he's truely remarkable.
Albert Pujols 9 (56%)
Alex Rodriguez 2 (12%)
Hanley Ramirez 1 (6%)
Miguel Cabrera 1 (6%)
Prince Fielder 0 (0%)
Joe Mauer 3 (18%)
Other (specify in a comment on the blog) 0 (0%)
I did this poll because (obviously) I was curious to see who people thought the best player in the Major Leagues is. The overwhelming numberof votes for Pujols is fairly typical of what I was suspecting, but there are some interesting things that can be found in this poll.
The fact that Joe Mauer received the next highest number of votes (albeit, he was behind by a lot) indicates to me that people really view him as great. Understandably, the man hit .365 last year, which is higher than anything Pujols has ever done, although not by much since Pujols hit .359 in 2003. If Mauer continues to hit around .360 every year with about 30 home runs, like he did last season, it would be much easier to argue for him as the best player in the Major Leagues. The real problem is the fact that he hasn't done this consistently. He bats north of .300 pretty much every year, but he only developed power last year, and hasn't shown that he is going to around 30 home runs again this year. Mauer is undoubtedly the best Catcher in the Major Leagues, though.
I think, as do most of the people who voted on the poll, that Pujols is easily the best player in baseball because of his consistent excellence. At this point, Pujols looks like he is probably the best player of this generation. He is only 30, and looks to be pretty close to a lock for 600 Home Runs with a career batting average over .330. This is something that hasn't been done since the days of Babe Ruth. Just be sure to take in every Pujols at-bat you can, because he's truely remarkable.
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