Santiago Arrojo is a strange man with strange ideas. A devout Marxist who allegedly funnels the bulk of his 9.8 million dollar a year earnings to the Cuban government and describes as his hobby in the Baltimore media guide, “copying passages from Das Capital to experience writing profound words”, Arrojo’s views on baseball are understandably overshadowed at times. They wouldn’t be if he weren’t such a weirdo. Arrojo sneers at the notion that a pitcher ought to aim for spots or even know where he’s going to throw the ball. Instead Arrojo subscribes to the original idea that a pitcher should operate on “feel”. “Baseball is not an intellectual game, that is a distortion”, claims Arrojo, “propagated by the capitalist media.” A relevant question at this point would be, how did this man get a big league contract? We don’t know either, but Baltimore is ruing the day they handed him the big bucks. They even went so far as to waive him this off-season, but, for some reason, there wasn’t any interest.
However, there was more to the Baltimore off-season than trying to shed the revolutionary wing of the team. Remember our earlier column describing the rush to the end of the track by the aging Baltimore roster, along with the prediction that the Einstein heirs in the front office would pull a rabbit or two from their collective fedora? Well, there weren’t any literal rabbits, but two young stars have suddenly appeared on the Baltimore roster, that, no matter how high and low we search, don’t appear to have been there before.
Roger Miller is a 23 year old jack of all trades. He can play virtually any position on the field (excepting flamethrower and backstop), and hit 29 home-runs to go along with 92 RBIs as a 22 year old last season on the worst team in the history of organized sport, the Colorado something or others. We’re trying to forget that they ever existed. He’ll start the season in center, but projects, long-term, as Baltimore’s shortstop of the future, the heir to the throne once it’s vacated by living legend and all-around demi-god John Witt. Davey Blanco, the other young stud picked from the pocket of a wannabe rival, projects as a Pedro Martinez like ace. Expected to start the season in AAA until, at the latest, September call-ups, Blanco is projected by the Baltimore scouting department (top 2 in the league) to have five (5!) viable pitches, be equally devastating against right and left handers, and to be feared and resented by the league quite akin to the manner in which the world once cowered before the Mongol hordes.
Life once again flows through the Baltimore roster, and it is expected to last well beyond this season.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Scottsdale Elitists Aiming For The Stars
After averaging 99 victories the last 3 seasons, Scottsdale Elitists bench coach Wesley Carver decided it was time for a change. Scottsdale's offense had been the top offense of each of the last three seasons, however, their pitching was painfully average, and they never moved past the second round of the playoffs.
"It was painfully obvious that we needed to acquire some top end pitching talent," stated Carver, "We would rather have 5-1 games than 8-6 games night after night." What Carver did next was suggested to owner Leppy Kahn that they acquire three talented starting pitchers, at any price. Kahn approved the signing of Jon Jacobs, Oswaldo Osuna, and Elvis Russell.
Corey Pote was traded, and then refused the trade saying "I want to be an Elitist until I die," Pote was promptly waived by the franchise. "It was either that or shoot him," Carver noted, "As far as I'm concerned, he's dead to the Elitists. Corey, have you ever seen Logan's Run?" Also gone is 52 HR/183 RBI 1B Glen Cedeno. The team even considered moving hitting phenom William Cho, who is widely considered to be a hall of fame caliber player, even though he's only 22. The Elitists replaced the veterans Pote and Cedeno with big bat Denny Lloyd and promoted another big bat to play 1st, Pascual Romero . The move of Pote allows the Elitists to finally move 22 year old phenom Fransisco Mercado from LF to 2B. Also switching positions is Earl Hardy. Hardy moves to SS, after playing 3B, RF, 3B in the previous 3 seasons. "I'll do whatever it takes to help the team win," says Hardy. His team first attitude will be helpful with the loss of other veteran leadership on the team... Veteran leadership whose departure leaves about $15M in cap space for the Elitists. "We'll be looking to make a deal," says owner Kahn, " It's pennant season in Scottsdale. We expect a lot from the Elitists. " Indeed.
The Elitists think rather highly of themselves. This reporter however, does not.
Projection - 70-91, 4th in the AL West.
"It was painfully obvious that we needed to acquire some top end pitching talent," stated Carver, "We would rather have 5-1 games than 8-6 games night after night." What Carver did next was suggested to owner Leppy Kahn that they acquire three talented starting pitchers, at any price. Kahn approved the signing of Jon Jacobs, Oswaldo Osuna, and Elvis Russell.
Corey Pote was traded, and then refused the trade saying "I want to be an Elitist until I die," Pote was promptly waived by the franchise. "It was either that or shoot him," Carver noted, "As far as I'm concerned, he's dead to the Elitists. Corey, have you ever seen Logan's Run?" Also gone is 52 HR/183 RBI 1B Glen Cedeno. The team even considered moving hitting phenom William Cho, who is widely considered to be a hall of fame caliber player, even though he's only 22. The Elitists replaced the veterans Pote and Cedeno with big bat Denny Lloyd and promoted another big bat to play 1st, Pascual Romero . The move of Pote allows the Elitists to finally move 22 year old phenom Fransisco Mercado from LF to 2B. Also switching positions is Earl Hardy. Hardy moves to SS, after playing 3B, RF, 3B in the previous 3 seasons. "I'll do whatever it takes to help the team win," says Hardy. His team first attitude will be helpful with the loss of other veteran leadership on the team... Veteran leadership whose departure leaves about $15M in cap space for the Elitists. "We'll be looking to make a deal," says owner Kahn, " It's pennant season in Scottsdale. We expect a lot from the Elitists. " Indeed.
The Elitists think rather highly of themselves. This reporter however, does not.
Projection - 70-91, 4th in the AL West.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
New York Carloses Offseason
The New York Carloses made the playoffs for the third year in a row, and management seems content to roll the dice on the same core of players for Season 4. The only notable departure from the team is Jose Gonzales who played admirably last season, in what looks to be his last. He is being replaced with veteran Art Long, who is being asked to take on a utility role for the first time in his career.
The Carloses still return with veterans allstars at catcher, first base and center - but the rest of the offense is young and there are only 3 true veterans on the pitching staff.
That said, the youth has been maturing well and the team should be entering its prime, with 15 players on their active roster who are under 27. The Carloses are gambling on their few veterans being able to act as a bridge until the future stars of Beamon, Singleton, Keller and Fernandez are prepared to take over - this transition season will be interesting to watch.
The Carloses still return with veterans allstars at catcher, first base and center - but the rest of the offense is young and there are only 3 true veterans on the pitching staff.
That said, the youth has been maturing well and the team should be entering its prime, with 15 players on their active roster who are under 27. The Carloses are gambling on their few veterans being able to act as a bridge until the future stars of Beamon, Singleton, Keller and Fernandez are prepared to take over - this transition season will be interesting to watch.
Las Vegas Mets
Spring training is here and the Mets have been busy. We made an offer for free agent Gerald Ono, but he decided to go elsewhere. Decided to give 2nd baseman Placido Guitirrez an extension for 4 years and $32.30 million. As a replacement for Ono, we signed Javier Garrido who's 4 years younger has a great glove and speed to patrol the outfield, get on base and steal a few. Since you can never have enough pitching, we signed free agent Earl Buckley for 3 years and 21 million. He can give us over 200 innings, and able to induce many groundballs. Only the season will tell if we've made the right decisions. Las Vegas is rooting and watching and they expect at least a playoff entry this year.
Monday, April 30, 2007
What Happens When You Die?
Despite what your Holy Book of choice tells you, we really don't have any empirical evidence filling us in on what happens when we come unstuck from time (RIP). If it's anything like the decline of a pro-sports team, we ought to consider ourselves lucky that we're kept in the dark.
The Death of a Franchise can come in several forms. Depending on which course is chosen, recovery and resurrection can either come very quickly, or, seemingly, not at all. And there's always suicide (we're looking at you Wayne Huizenga). A sports franchise which doesn't plan ahead for the inevitable, and it is inevitable, sports are cyclical, how quickly you rotate is up to you, is doomed to sport purgatory, endless mediocrity, no championships, cynical fans, all bad for business. The modern day sports franchise has to be ready to pull itself out of the hole once it gets buried.
The Baltimore Sandinistas are coming to the proverbial fork in the road. Many of the clubs star veterans are over 30. The starting pitching staff boasts two starters under 30, but barely, and questions surround the future of Al Maxwell in Baltimore, after one and a half disappointing seasons following his acquisition from Buffalo after looking like a world beater during Buffalo's run to the World Series in season one, when he went 4-0 in the playoffs. Baltimore management had him pegged as the perfect fifth starter and clutch playoff performer, a rise to the occasion type of guy with that extra gear for the frosty months. It didn't work out.
Santiago Concepcion, an Ace if the word has any meaning, went 22-3 this past season, but slowed down in the playoffs. Many are comparing his playoff appearances to Sonny Liston when, in his fights against a young Cassius Clay, he seemed to age before the eyes of the fighting audience. Luckily, help is on the way. Baltimore's farm system, in addition to having super-stud Stephen O'Connor, boasts four other major league projected starting pitchers.
The lineup is in better shape. Several stars are 30+ or approaching 30 fast, and heavy-weight salaries may not be tenable for all. However, of more concern is the fact that help isn't on the way. Aside from young 2B Dustin Burns, a hotshot prospect with an inflated ego and confidence to spare (he demanded mucho dinero upon being drafted, far above what he was slotted for) and workman-like hitting machine 1B Bret Jensen, the farm system might as well be experiencing a famine, plague, and termite infestation all while floating in the middle of the ocean on the last plank of a capsized ship.
Baltimore management find themselves in an odd position. The end is in sight, but it's still a season or two away. There's a clear choice here, make that last push, selling the future for one last roll of the dice or start hedging bets. Don't splurge on player salary, ship a veteran, get a prospect, diminish World Series hopes...but fight another day.
We have to remember that we're talking about Baltimore though. This franchise probably has the sharpest brain trust in the big leagues steering the rig. Knowing them, they probably plan on cheating death a few more times before the curtain drops.
The Death of a Franchise can come in several forms. Depending on which course is chosen, recovery and resurrection can either come very quickly, or, seemingly, not at all. And there's always suicide (we're looking at you Wayne Huizenga). A sports franchise which doesn't plan ahead for the inevitable, and it is inevitable, sports are cyclical, how quickly you rotate is up to you, is doomed to sport purgatory, endless mediocrity, no championships, cynical fans, all bad for business. The modern day sports franchise has to be ready to pull itself out of the hole once it gets buried.
The Baltimore Sandinistas are coming to the proverbial fork in the road. Many of the clubs star veterans are over 30. The starting pitching staff boasts two starters under 30, but barely, and questions surround the future of Al Maxwell in Baltimore, after one and a half disappointing seasons following his acquisition from Buffalo after looking like a world beater during Buffalo's run to the World Series in season one, when he went 4-0 in the playoffs. Baltimore management had him pegged as the perfect fifth starter and clutch playoff performer, a rise to the occasion type of guy with that extra gear for the frosty months. It didn't work out.
Santiago Concepcion, an Ace if the word has any meaning, went 22-3 this past season, but slowed down in the playoffs. Many are comparing his playoff appearances to Sonny Liston when, in his fights against a young Cassius Clay, he seemed to age before the eyes of the fighting audience. Luckily, help is on the way. Baltimore's farm system, in addition to having super-stud Stephen O'Connor, boasts four other major league projected starting pitchers.
The lineup is in better shape. Several stars are 30+ or approaching 30 fast, and heavy-weight salaries may not be tenable for all. However, of more concern is the fact that help isn't on the way. Aside from young 2B Dustin Burns, a hotshot prospect with an inflated ego and confidence to spare (he demanded mucho dinero upon being drafted, far above what he was slotted for) and workman-like hitting machine 1B Bret Jensen, the farm system might as well be experiencing a famine, plague, and termite infestation all while floating in the middle of the ocean on the last plank of a capsized ship.
Baltimore management find themselves in an odd position. The end is in sight, but it's still a season or two away. There's a clear choice here, make that last push, selling the future for one last roll of the dice or start hedging bets. Don't splurge on player salary, ship a veteran, get a prospect, diminish World Series hopes...but fight another day.
We have to remember that we're talking about Baltimore though. This franchise probably has the sharpest brain trust in the big leagues steering the rig. Knowing them, they probably plan on cheating death a few more times before the curtain drops.
World Series Champions
This comes as shocking news to baseball fans around the world. The Montreal Expos have won the World Series. No one even predicted they'd make the playoffs after a very slow start to the season when the team went 10-13 in their first 23 games. With the loss of veteran starter Mike Simmons for the first 2 months, fans were extremely pessimistic about the teams chances, especially with Syracuse and Philadelphia's explosive start to the year.
The Expos eventually picked it up and went on an amazing run going 30-12 in the following games, looking like last years team (108-54). The most important factor was the offense. Eugene Harris (.290, 52 HR, 176 RbI's), Hector Mareina (.313, 26 HR, 99 RBI's), and Timothy Black(.299, 34 HR, 99 RBI's) were no surprises. Don Takada and Matt Lee, on the other hand, were huge surprises. They both had a career numbers. Takada (.314, 45 HR, 164 RBI's) and Lee (.331, 20 HR and 97 RBI's). They were criticized for not playing at their potential and the media wasn't shy to show it after an early departure from the playoffs last season. Other notable offensive player was Jesse Bagley. He was also an important addition to the first team in the regular season and in the playoffs, replacing injured Hector Mareina.
Last Years CY Young winner, Dario Christensen, had a very disappointing season with numbers nowhere close to the award, where he finished with a 12-10 record and a 5.05 Era. Ask any veteran players and they will tell you that clinching a playoff spot is like the re-birth of a season, and that's exactly how Christensen felt as he posted a 4-0 record with a 3.70 Era. Throughout the history of baseball, not a lot of players have come back from an injury to then put up the best numbers of their careers. Just ask Mike Simmons. He went 11-6 in the season with 3.31 ERA but was clearly the reason why the Montreal Expos won the WS, beating the toughest offensive teams. Two of those wins came vs the heavily favorite Jackson BK in the finals. The 4-1 and 1.88 ERA (averaging 6 2/3 innings a start) that Simmons posted are numbers that legends produce.
Now the Expos will try to build on this WS title as the competition will get tougher and tougher every year. This just shows you that any team that makes the post season, even a 2nd seated wild card team, can win the glorious award.
The Expos eventually picked it up and went on an amazing run going 30-12 in the following games, looking like last years team (108-54). The most important factor was the offense. Eugene Harris (.290, 52 HR, 176 RbI's), Hector Mareina (.313, 26 HR, 99 RBI's), and Timothy Black(.299, 34 HR, 99 RBI's) were no surprises. Don Takada and Matt Lee, on the other hand, were huge surprises. They both had a career numbers. Takada (.314, 45 HR, 164 RBI's) and Lee (.331, 20 HR and 97 RBI's). They were criticized for not playing at their potential and the media wasn't shy to show it after an early departure from the playoffs last season. Other notable offensive player was Jesse Bagley. He was also an important addition to the first team in the regular season and in the playoffs, replacing injured Hector Mareina.
Last Years CY Young winner, Dario Christensen, had a very disappointing season with numbers nowhere close to the award, where he finished with a 12-10 record and a 5.05 Era. Ask any veteran players and they will tell you that clinching a playoff spot is like the re-birth of a season, and that's exactly how Christensen felt as he posted a 4-0 record with a 3.70 Era. Throughout the history of baseball, not a lot of players have come back from an injury to then put up the best numbers of their careers. Just ask Mike Simmons. He went 11-6 in the season with 3.31 ERA but was clearly the reason why the Montreal Expos won the WS, beating the toughest offensive teams. Two of those wins came vs the heavily favorite Jackson BK in the finals. The 4-1 and 1.88 ERA (averaging 6 2/3 innings a start) that Simmons posted are numbers that legends produce.
Now the Expos will try to build on this WS title as the competition will get tougher and tougher every year. This just shows you that any team that makes the post season, even a 2nd seated wild card team, can win the glorious award.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Mets
Have a good one, that's ready for the big time. Carlos Galarraga has earned a right to come up and play with the big boys. In 3 minor league seasons, he's managed 49 hrs, 314 rbi's, 112 stolen bases. Has a 98-100 speed with a great batting eye. Plays the corner outfields and 1st base. He can be a great leadoff hitter than can steal a base. Has been seen on the Vegas scene trying to soak up the local flavor. Like all MLB players, especially in Vegas, management strongly prohibits betting of any kind. Can Carlos stay away from trouble and concentrate on being the great ballplayer he can be? With no other major league team in the city, Las Vegas will be watching closely.
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