Well this is turning into quite the horserace. What started out with the DoorMatts using the first half of the season like Secretariat at the Belmont Stakes (quick sidenote – Secretariat the movie is coming out this summer with my all-time fantasy girlfriend, Diane Lane. Yeah she plays an old woman in the movie, but it’s Diane Lane!!) has turned into a neck and neck (and neck) Affirmed/Alydar classic, not to mention another neck, the Red Hots moving up on the outside!
First of all, BIG TIME MONROE DOCTRINE KUDOS to all four leaders for making deals that involved major leaguers for major leaguers (with minor leaguers and picks thrown in). Certainly there could have been opportunities to make lopsided Major Leaguers for A Ball minor leaguers and/or rotation picks, but none of that crap has happened.
The Red Hots have been busiest making five trades this season. The Ruffins and Clowns each have made four deals (the Clowns turning over 25 percent of their roster in those four deals).
Interestingly the Clowns have traded with both the Ruffins and Hots, proving that deals can be made with anyone, not just the cellar dwellers, as long as the trade helps both teams.
With eleven shopping days left until the Trade Deadline, it will be interesting to see what magic any or all four can produce, especially the DoorMatts who held a 12-14 point lead for much of the first half on the heels of a pennant race last year that literally came down to the final minutes of the 2009 season. It’s not often a CFCL team has a chance to win it two years in a row and the DoorMatts came thisclose to pulling it off last year. A couple of shrewd deals could allow the Matts to pull away once again.
With no egregious dump trades taking place and so little time left in the Trading Season, we have an opportunity to see an amazing race take place. Four teams are within eight points of each other for the title.
Thank you gentlemen, for your aggressiveness in seeking out trades and your integrity in making the trades equitable for both teams. This is what the CFCL has been about for 27 years. Now we just have to see who reaches the barn first.
**** Monroe Doctrine Disclaimer - This entry (specifically paragraph #2) was written before the trades of 7/21/10 *****
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
All-Star Thoughts
Baseball’s All-Star Game just doesn’t do it for a lot of us anymore. There was a time when it was exciting to anticipate the Mid-Summer Classic. Watching Schmidt, Parker, Rose, Rice, Jackson and their contemporaries run out for introductions was exhilarating. Now watching Ramirez, Jeter, A-Rod, Pujols, and the cast of 2000’s doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal. I’ve identified a couple possibilities why.
Deity Loss: Growing up watching Carlton, Hunter, Palmer, and local do-gooders Reuschel, Sutter and Swisher was exciting because these guys were Baseball Gods. The public didn’t know anything about them besides what was written in the national papers and what you saw on the Game of the Week. These guys were perfect. They weren’t twittering, they weren’t being suspended, they weren’t on TV EVERY DAY thanks to ESPN, MLB Channel, MLB Extra Inning Package where you can watch them strikeout, ground out weakly and give up four runs in one inning. What we knew of the All-Stars from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s were that they were invincible.
Familiarity: Up until the ‘90s the only time you saw a National League pitcher face an American League hitter and vice versa was in Spring Training (when nothing matters) or in the World Series (when the stakes are at the highest). How would Bench do against Fidrych? Don’t know unless we watch the All-Star game. Now the NL pitching greats have made their way through the AL for the last 13 years. Maddux vs. Mauer? Been there, done that.
NL Sucks: As a devout Cub and National League fan, it is rather disheartening to suffer through fourteen years without a win. We’ve been blown out, we’ve blown saves, we’ve thrown the ball away. Not a major factor since as Cub fans we’ve seen the same exact thing for the last 102 years, but still it’s there.
Price of Getting Older: With age come more responsibilities. Between the ages of 8 and 22 there wasn’t much to focus on other than baseball. Oh, sure there was school, but not during the summer. Middling jobs, but nothing that required things to be brought home. Certainly there were no girls to pull us away from memorizing the hitting and pitching statistics of every National League batter and pitcher. Now there are careers and children (soccer, basketball, little league) and wives. We catch a few innings if we’re fortunate. The fifth outfielder for Pittsburgh? I don’t know, is Doug Frobel still playing?
Perceived Importance: Here is where Bud Selig needs to crawl in a hole in embarrassment. For all the good that Selig has brought to the game (quick! someone please tell me something that Selig has done that’s good for the game) he has screwed up the All-Star Game more than it already was. Because of the tie in 2002, Bud felt compelled to “correct” the game. So he decides that home field advantage for the CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE SEASON should be decided by a bunch of guys who a) were selected by the fans and b) are getting playing time not based on their talent compared to their peers, but based on the fact that the manager wants to make sure everyone gets into the game, and c) in some cases, were selected simply because someone from their team HAD to be present.
If this is an Exhibition Game, then nothing but pride should be on the line. Here’s a novel thought. How about allowing the team with the best regular season record to have home field advantage? They do it in every other sport, why not baseball?
Here’s another fix. Don’t have an All-Star from every team if every team doesn’t have an All-Star. Robert Fick was never an All-Star based on performance. But in 2002 Detroit sucked so bad, they had to send a .270 hitter that year to represent the team. If the game is to have meaning, then the best players should be on the team and the best of the best should play the whole game. Aaron, Mays, Musial and Williams used to play all nine innings. Their careers didn’t seem to suffer by playing an extra game. If the point is to win the game, then play to win. If it’s a Summer Break Victory Lap, then acknowledge it as such and don’t have the World Series be involved in the outcome.
Game time tonight 7:00pm. I’ll be there a little after 9pm when Spongebob Squarepants goes to bed.
Deity Loss: Growing up watching Carlton, Hunter, Palmer, and local do-gooders Reuschel, Sutter and Swisher was exciting because these guys were Baseball Gods. The public didn’t know anything about them besides what was written in the national papers and what you saw on the Game of the Week. These guys were perfect. They weren’t twittering, they weren’t being suspended, they weren’t on TV EVERY DAY thanks to ESPN, MLB Channel, MLB Extra Inning Package where you can watch them strikeout, ground out weakly and give up four runs in one inning. What we knew of the All-Stars from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s were that they were invincible.
Familiarity: Up until the ‘90s the only time you saw a National League pitcher face an American League hitter and vice versa was in Spring Training (when nothing matters) or in the World Series (when the stakes are at the highest). How would Bench do against Fidrych? Don’t know unless we watch the All-Star game. Now the NL pitching greats have made their way through the AL for the last 13 years. Maddux vs. Mauer? Been there, done that.
NL Sucks: As a devout Cub and National League fan, it is rather disheartening to suffer through fourteen years without a win. We’ve been blown out, we’ve blown saves, we’ve thrown the ball away. Not a major factor since as Cub fans we’ve seen the same exact thing for the last 102 years, but still it’s there.
Price of Getting Older: With age come more responsibilities. Between the ages of 8 and 22 there wasn’t much to focus on other than baseball. Oh, sure there was school, but not during the summer. Middling jobs, but nothing that required things to be brought home. Certainly there were no girls to pull us away from memorizing the hitting and pitching statistics of every National League batter and pitcher. Now there are careers and children (soccer, basketball, little league) and wives. We catch a few innings if we’re fortunate. The fifth outfielder for Pittsburgh? I don’t know, is Doug Frobel still playing?
Perceived Importance: Here is where Bud Selig needs to crawl in a hole in embarrassment. For all the good that Selig has brought to the game (quick! someone please tell me something that Selig has done that’s good for the game) he has screwed up the All-Star Game more than it already was. Because of the tie in 2002, Bud felt compelled to “correct” the game. So he decides that home field advantage for the CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE SEASON should be decided by a bunch of guys who a) were selected by the fans and b) are getting playing time not based on their talent compared to their peers, but based on the fact that the manager wants to make sure everyone gets into the game, and c) in some cases, were selected simply because someone from their team HAD to be present.
If this is an Exhibition Game, then nothing but pride should be on the line. Here’s a novel thought. How about allowing the team with the best regular season record to have home field advantage? They do it in every other sport, why not baseball?
Here’s another fix. Don’t have an All-Star from every team if every team doesn’t have an All-Star. Robert Fick was never an All-Star based on performance. But in 2002 Detroit sucked so bad, they had to send a .270 hitter that year to represent the team. If the game is to have meaning, then the best players should be on the team and the best of the best should play the whole game. Aaron, Mays, Musial and Williams used to play all nine innings. Their careers didn’t seem to suffer by playing an extra game. If the point is to win the game, then play to win. If it’s a Summer Break Victory Lap, then acknowledge it as such and don’t have the World Series be involved in the outcome.
Game time tonight 7:00pm. I’ll be there a little after 9pm when Spongebob Squarepants goes to bed.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Fourth-coming Disappointment
As we celebrate the accomplishments of our forefathers and at least three of our mothers, I’m reminded about how confusing the 4th of July holiday is. It has always provided me with a sense of sadness because I’ve taken to heart that the 4th represents the “Unofficial Middle of Summer”. I’m saddened to think that we’re halfway through and are now closer to the colder weather. The reality is that summer is only 11 days old according to meteorological tables. My mindset probably has a lot to do with my children’s school schedule, since next month they are back at it.
Baseball has always been more accurate. This year at the close of games on the 4th, teams will be anywhere from 81 to 84 games into the season, basically one half; as a Cub fan the end can’t come fast enough. Since baseball is synonymous with Apple Pie, Mom, America and summer, it does bring a sense of being closer to the end of the season than the beginning.
Couple that with the fact that as of June 23rd (26th anniversary of the Sandberg Game) the days are getting shorter - you can almost hear the leaves getting ready to fall. Weed the garden? What’s the point? The first overnight frost is only weeks away.
Time to go to the beach? Forget the sunscreen, it’s time to check the wind chill factor. I don’t have time to cut the watermelon, I’ve got to place an order for the turkey and stuffing. Take the kids to their swimming lessons? Please, I’ve got to sharpen their ice skates.
With only 174 shopping days left until Christmas the stress of scheduling family get-togethers is breathing down our necks. It’s time to make our New Year’s Eve reservations as well.
Getting lost in all my whining is the fact that we are supposed to be celebrating that the founders of this nation suffered through 100+ degree temperatures to forge out a document declaring our independence from Britain. They believed in their freedom enough to put their lives on the line and fight for what they wanted. They succeeded and provided a way of life generations since have enjoyed and today take for granted.
Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go find the Christmas Tree.
Baseball has always been more accurate. This year at the close of games on the 4th, teams will be anywhere from 81 to 84 games into the season, basically one half; as a Cub fan the end can’t come fast enough. Since baseball is synonymous with Apple Pie, Mom, America and summer, it does bring a sense of being closer to the end of the season than the beginning.
Couple that with the fact that as of June 23rd (26th anniversary of the Sandberg Game) the days are getting shorter - you can almost hear the leaves getting ready to fall. Weed the garden? What’s the point? The first overnight frost is only weeks away.
Time to go to the beach? Forget the sunscreen, it’s time to check the wind chill factor. I don’t have time to cut the watermelon, I’ve got to place an order for the turkey and stuffing. Take the kids to their swimming lessons? Please, I’ve got to sharpen their ice skates.
With only 174 shopping days left until Christmas the stress of scheduling family get-togethers is breathing down our necks. It’s time to make our New Year’s Eve reservations as well.
Getting lost in all my whining is the fact that we are supposed to be celebrating that the founders of this nation suffered through 100+ degree temperatures to forge out a document declaring our independence from Britain. They believed in their freedom enough to put their lives on the line and fight for what they wanted. They succeeded and provided a way of life generations since have enjoyed and today take for granted.
Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go find the Christmas Tree.
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