The Heirloom

An Incidental Blow Out

2008-09-05T11:11:27Z

Photo by Randy Stern

It was exactly what I expected. The Minnesota Twins ran into an inhospitable host intent on playing the role of the spoiler. The first two games of the series ended with the Toronto Blue Jays squeaking the win with a walk-off runs. This game began by rubbing plenty of salt in the wound...and the sodium never stopped pouring.

This is how it went down when I attended my first ballgame outside the USA inside Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays hosted the Twins in a series that pushed the limits of both clubs...with the Twinkies on the losing end every time. The Jays not only clobbered the Twins 9-0, they pushed them back a game-and-a-half behind the AL Central leading Chicago White Sox.

This wasn't what the Twins had in mind, but Ron Gardenhire should be more aware that his club would run into other teams such as this in the month of September. After Toronto, the Twins face the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals at home. Before the month is over, the Twins make one final sweep east with stops in Baltimore and Tampa Bay. There is a series with the White Sox thrown in for good measure. This is not a clear path for the Twins to navigate especially coming from an extended road trip that ended last night.

As for the Jays, was this series a statement? For J.P. Ricciardi's sake, it better be! Jesse Litsch pitched a complete game and deservedly so. He settled down and let the defense take care of business. Alex Rios and Vernon Wells certainly got my notice being perched above right field. Let's not forget Travis Snider's home run...a stunning one to see!

But, still, if the Jays want to fulfill all of the promises of deals once heralded as ones to put Canada's team above the New York Yankees and the Boson Red Sox, then perhaps it is time to get rid of that last stumbling block: Ricciardi. If the rumors are true, then the Jays should welcome back Gord Ash to recreate a team needing a return to prominence.

Backing up a bit, I was fortunate to bring with me a local friend to the ballpark. He used to be a vendor at Rogers Centre, but was unceremoniously sacked. He initially hesitated coming with me, but I'm glad he did. I was able to meet some of his former cohorts working food and beer vending, which was an emotional reunion for the ones I met. It's great to see the energy and humanity of the men and women who serve your food and beer at the ballpark. It gave me a better insight as to a vital function of a ballgame, which I doubt anyone actually explored positively.

Sadly, the insanity of my time here in Toronto cut our time at Rogers Centre short. Between the Toronto International Film Festival and a reunion of guys whose lives I helped by creating something they were involved with over the past 12 years prevented me from enjoying the rest of the Jays onslaught of the Twins.

As for Rogers Centre...nice ballpark, BTW! Love the place...but a bit skimpy on the seats in my section. Perhaps I'm spoiled in the Metrodome with wider seating and some better legroom in certain parts of the ballpark. Will I be back? If I do, I'm paying more for my seats for a little bit more space.

Nonetheless, this incidental road game is in the bag.

An Incidential "Road" Game

2008-09-02T18:45:28Z

Until this week, I've been skimping on going to the ballgame. I've only attended three home games at the Metrodome for the Minnesota Twins and a St. Paul Saints tilt thrown in for good measure. A good baseball fan usually tries to catch at least a few games...even one is enough for many fans. Four is sometimes enough, but not with a pennant race going on.

My fifth game of the season will be different. It is a Twins game, but on the road. I've never thought I would see a game at this ballpark, but opportunity sometimes knock when you least expect it.

On Thursday, I'm hitting Rogers Centre in Toronto for the final game of the Blue Jays-Twins series. I'm taking a local friend along for the ride, who used to work concessions at the stadium. This will not only be a rare chance to see the Twins on the road, but, upon the suggestion of my accomplice, a look inside some of the ballpark's operations. That will be interesting to check out.

I also made an interesting choice when packing for this trip: I'm leaving all of my Twins stuff at home. There are some interesting reasons behind this, other than the practical ones. If I'm running around town meeting friends and hitting the sights, I'd like to at least have some sort of neutrality when I'm scouring around town. Silly, but I'm not visiting Toronto for just a Twins road game.

And, besides, I'd like to avoid being Circled by Bert (Blyleven of FSN North).

This series should be a good one: The Twins tied with the Chicago White Sox on top of the AL Central and the Blue Jays poised to play the spoiler role. It's time to sit back and relax in section 211 for a nice evening inside Rogers Centre.

My next game after this? Another Twins home game.

The October Fairytale Just Down the Street

2008-08-29T16:13:20Z

I used to think that the benefit of living in a particular community is to have something worth while supporting. Whether it's the arts or a sports franchise, civic pride is something of a bonus for any place I lived.

My current hometown team, the Minnesota Twins, is in the thick of another pennant race. There is indeed a sense of pride that I was witnessing something very special, if not stressful. I was proud to see three games at the Metrodome so far watching this ball club climb from being written off by the pundits once again to challenging the Chicago White Sox in a topsy-turvy AL Central race.

This particular pennant race recalled plenty of dramatic post-seasons provided by my local teams. I'm amazed how my perspective has changed over time when it came to my growing up in Southern California and the two teams that represented that part of the world. My Bay Area years were amazing as another couple of clubs not only battled for civic pride, but for the ultimate prize in baseball: The Commissioner's Trophy.

Let's look back at some of these wonderful post-seasons that I was proud to witness in my own backyard, even if it was several miles down the freeway.

1974 - Los Angeles Dodgers: I was just a baby when the Dodgers made the World Series in 1965 and 1966. Walter Alston was still managing, but he led a highly talented ball club that Losangelinos will never forget. Steve Garvey was the center of this polished ball club, along with Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, Ron Cey and Don Sutton. Mike Marshall was brought in from Montreal to give the Bums some firepower on the mound. In the end, the Dodgers made it to the World Series only to be beaten by the last Charlie Finley team that mattered.

1977 - Los Angeles Dodgers: At the end of the 1976 season, Alston finally retired. In his place was a man who bled Dodger Blue and became a legend in his own mind. In deference to my mother, I was not a fan of Tommy Lasorda. But, he did bring the Bums back to the World Series, only to beaten by Reggie Jackson again. This time, Reggie's paychecks were signed by George Steinbrenner.

1978 - Los Angeles Dodgers: My mom came home upset after work. She slapped three tickets to Game Six of the World Series on the counter near the front door. I could not understand why she was upset when given three tickets to enjoy something we only dreamed of doing. It turned out that the tickets were an afterthought by her boss. Worst still, the game was about to start by the time mom arrived from work. With traffic, it would take short of an hour to get from our house in Reseda to Chavez Ravine. We didn't miss much, except for the New York Yankees repeating as World Series champs.

1979 - California Angels: One night in September, we witnessed a miracle. At Anaheim Stadium, Gene Autry's team finally fulfilled one of the Cowboy's dreams: a divisional pennant. We shouted "yes we can" in full volume every night down in The O.C. When "we" did, we faced the Baltimore Orioles. In the end, Earl Weaver's club proved to be too dominant for the emerging Angels to overcome. It would take 23 more years for the Halos to fulfill the Cowboy's dream, but Autry would never see this happen in his lifetime.

1981 - Los Angeles Dodgers: Rick Monday was already a legend in L.A. When he played for the Chicago Cubs in 1976, Monday made his legend by saving an American flag from being burned in center field at Dodger Stadium. Not only did the veteran saved L.A. from being eliminated by the Montreal Expos in the NLCS five years later, he also led the charge for the Bums first World Series championship in 16 years. Since L.A. is such a huge city, there wasn't much in the way of celebrations that night. They had to wait for their requisite parade in downtown L.A. and celebration in front of City Hall. Besides, the city already had practice in championship celebrations...thanks to the Lakers the year before.

1986 - California Angels: Tragedy has a way of permeating into real life. The tragedy of the American League Championship Series prevented the Angels to attain the World Series the Cowboy dreamed of. A pitch from Donnie Moore to the Boston Red Sox's Dave Henderson did the trick. As hearts were broken at Anaheim Stadium, all of New England erupted with glee. Moore slipped into a long-term depression and eventually took his own life years later. The game can be cruel sometimes.

1987 - San Francisco Giants: By 1982, I was already a Giants fan. Being a Giants fan in L.A. is similar to being a Yankee fan in Boston. The rivalry is that intense. When I moved up from Reseda to San Rafael the summer of 1987, I already embraced being a Giants fan and was glad to see Roger Craig's Humm Babes avoid the traditional June swoon. Then, came the divisional title. I wore my Giants cap and jacket proudly around town. When the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Giants en route to facing the Minnesota Twins in the World Series, my heart sank. Redemption came when the Twins won the Series.

1988 - Oakland A's: Just because I lived in Marin County does not mean that I exclusively align myself with the Giants. In fact, during my nine years living in San Rafael and Concord, I saw more A's games than the Giants. For starters, the Coliseum was easier to get to. Secondly, I always got great seats there. Last, but not least, they were fun to watch! The heartbreak of 1987 was completely erased by the A's first World Series appearance in 14 years. Ironically, it would be the Dodgers that would welcome them back into the Series. Unlike in 1974, it would be the Dodgers would take the title. Damn Kirk Gibson!

1989 - Giants and A's: Bay Area residents only dreamed of the day when they can see an entire World Series played across the Bay Bridge. San Franciscans and East Bay denizens took sides in this highly anticipated battle. Then, on a warm day on Candlestick Point, the world stopped. The Loma Prieta earthquake interrupted everyone's lives, including the Giants and the A's. The spirit of sport was set aside for a real emergency occurring throughout Northern California. When play resumed, the World Series ceased to matter. Only the A's can look at their fourth Commissioner's Trophy with sadness for a series that could have been.

2004 - Minnesota Twins: Years of wandering between California, the DC Area and the Midwest finally landed me in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. As quickly as I gained traction in the Twin Cities, I found myself quickly involved in a relationship. As I took him to the last game of the Twins regular season, he, in turn, bought a couple of playoff tickets. In some sense, it made up for the "afterthought" of Game 6 of the 1978 World Series. My first post-season game I ever attended! It was Game 3 of the ALDS with the Yankees only to see a familiar result: the Yankees winning. Oh, and we broke up less than two months later...but, not because of the game.

So, here we are on the eve of September and the mad dash towards October Gonzodom. There is no telling what the outcome will be with all of the races still in play. With October comes a civic camaraderie where fans from all walks of life can lower their personal shields and talk about the game. No matter who we are and where we actually live, we're all fans. Some of us will be only for those precious few weeks while the rest of us continue to eat, sleep and breathe this glorious game. Yet, we all have lives to live outside of our love for the home team.

Somewhere above this planet, my mother is reading this. She is watching her son as he fishing through some storage boxes at home for an old Homer Hanky, dons a Twins cap away from the office and talks up the return of his adopted home team to the postseason. And what is she saying?

"The Dodgers might be back in October!"

My Own October Fairytale

2008-08-27T18:47:24Z

Baseball's post season still represents the best in sport. After 162 games, Major League baseball's finest teams would come together and fight it out for the World Championship.

It was simpler back then. By 1968, you had only two teams playing after the last out of the regular season: the champions of the American and National Leagues. The expansion of 1969 separated each league into two divisions and now four teams made it into October. Now, it's three divisions per league, plus a wild card, making it an eight team post season.

You know, I do miss the old playoff system. I miss having just six-to-seven teams per division. Those were the days! It was an absolute pennant race where truly the best from each division meet to decide who goes to the World Series. It was made for the highest level of drama. Believe me, there was plenty of drama during the old playoff system.

With "8 Games, 1 Winner," as FOX Sports once proclaimed the post season nowadays, the ultimate drama happens after the dust settles in time for the first ceremonial pitch of the World Series. Getting there is one thing, surviving it is another.

My World Series memories speak volumes of the evolution of modern baseball after the Designated Hitter rule and the playoff system. I was a kid watching facial hair and polyester uniforms permeate the ol' ball game. I never experienced the Yankees dynasty or ever watch Sandy Koufax pitched. I came in as Pete Rose was at the height of being "Charlie Hustle" and Reggie Jackson began to boast about his impending greatness in the game.

My first Series was on TV in 1972 between the Oakland A's and the Cincinnati Reds. I never quite understood these two teams as they seem to be what I call now "roboteams." Reds or A's fans would argue from my summation that these were soulless mechanized winners full of crazy, obnoxious superstars before the advent of George Steinbrenner and the multi-million dollar contract. Because of these teams, the conditions for greed through Free Agency were born. Maybe the intentions of Curt Flood were misunderstood intentionally.

The first World Series that I truly enjoyed came in 1975 when the Boston Red Sox almost beat the Reds in seven games. Then, there was 1979 when the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles. Since I have written about these two series, here's a list of more memorable series along the way:

1980: Perhaps it was the first time I actually liked Pete Rose. He came to Philadelphia via Free Agency and took the Phillies to the Series for the first time since 1950. It seemed as the Phils were too dominant for the Kansas City Royals, but it turned out to become a decent series. In the end, the City of Brotherly Love scored its first World Series championship since the days Connie Mack owned the A's. It was the first for the Phils. Fans in Philly still hoped for more, but will always remember how their city celebrated a dream that took a century to fulfill.

1985: How many of us can claim they know a major leaguer back in high school? While I was at Reseda High, Bret Saberhagen was all-L.A. City Section...perhaps, all-World...at rival Cleveland High. He pitched no-hitters in each of his two City Championships at Dodger Stadium. Not many high school superstars can achieve similar careers when they go pro. Except Bret. Bret and the Royals took their in-state rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, to seven games and their first World Series championship. Bret did it the only way he could: take charge on the mound. As he threw heat at the Cardinals batters, he probably imagined them as they would've attended Chatsworth, Reseda, Taft, El Camino Real or Canoga Park High. This climax, the Cy Young Award and the World Series MVP, was never achieved by an athlete from the San Fernando Valley before. It wouldn't be long before another Valley athlete would ascend the heights of sport as Saberhagen did. Does John Elway (Granada Hills HS '79) ring a bell?

1989: Living in the Bay Area had many advantages. How about two major league ball clubs to root for? The A's and the San Francisco Giants finally made it a Series for the sake of regional pride. We boasted the two best teams in the game...until a 7.1 magnitude earthquake rattled the Loma Prieta ridge area down the San Andreas Fault. The resulting quake delayed game 3 of the Series for more than a week. When play resumed, the Giants ended up getting swept, but the awarding of the Commissioner's Trophy was meaningless as to the game's call to action when the Bay Area suffered extraordinary damage on both sides of the bay.

1991: Though I now live in Twins Territory, I admit that I was a huge Atlanta Braves fan. The first of fourteen division championships, the Braves had one of the best pitching staffs in the game. They also shared the distinction with their AL counterparts for going from last place at the end of the 1990 season to the Series. It was a classic "edge-of-your-seat" seven game series that went all the way until the bottom of the 10th Inning when Gene Larkin etched his mark in Minnesota folklore to win the Series in the Metrodome by scoring Kirby Puckett over from second. Fans on both sides of the conflict still talk about this series today. The Braves won their Series in 1996 while the Twins ran off three AL Central divisional titles from 2002-2004.

1993: Canada's national sport is hockey. However, for years, baseball also was a part of the country's scene even before the Montreal Expos started Major League play in 1969. Granted national priorities state that baseball is lower on the totem pole, the Toronto Blue Jays gave Canada a second thought to the game of baseball. Lord Stanley's Cup was already resting in the States when the Jays brought the Commissioner's Trophy across Customs twice. The second time still etched in time for all of us. The Phillies gave the Jays a good series and led them into the last part of the Ninth Inning in Game 6. All Mitch Williams had to do was to close the game and force Game 7. What Mitch Williams did was gave Joe Carter the perfect home run pitch. No, Joe Carter is not "Rocket" Richard or Wayne Gretzky, but he won a nation's hearts for one night and more. As for Mitch Williams, he was ridiculed by everyone within earshot of Philadelphia's City Hall just short of being lynched.

2001: Did I ever mention how much I have extreme contempt towards the New York Yankees? "Hate" is a very strong word, but, frankly, that is how I describe my view of George Steinbrenner's machine in the Bronx since I was a child. However, no one would dare hate the Yankees. After all, al-Qaida masterminded the destruction of the World Trade Center using two commercial airliners. As much as I grieved for those lost in New York, Arlington and in Pennsylvania, to make the Yanks de facto World Champs was not going to happen. Enter the Arizona Diamondbacks. Enter Luis Gonzalez. Then, the fumbling of baseball by various Yankees sent Jay Bell across home plate. Not too shabby for an upstart expansion team, eh George? As for the coronation in light of global events, maybe this ending was more suitable to the infallibility of the Yankees with their city.

2002: Gene Autry was rolling in his grave. Walt Disney was spinning him. In the land where Gwen Stefani grew up, Anaheim's team won a World Series. But, who are these Giants? They look like "roboGiants!" It must be nice to have Willie Mays as your godfather, but Barry Bonds arrived in the Series bringing his Giants for a third shot at the ultimate prize since leaving Coogan's Bluff. From behind the Orange Curtain came a plot driven by a skipper, who was an ex-Dodger, to upend Bonds and Dusty Baker's (another ex-Dodger...see the pattern here?) plan for ultimate coronation. Then, Dusty's son almost got ran over by an Angel. A sign? Dusty would learn about curses the year after when he came onboard as the Cubs' skipper. In the end, the Singing Cowboy's 41-year-old dream came true. If only we had Nolan Ryan singing the ending line (off-key, of course) of a mid-1970's jingle for a home improvement center sharing the namesake of the team.

The past several of years, the World Series became a stunning end to a long season. For the Florida Marlins in 2003, it gave long-time baseball man Jack McKeon a change to enjoy the ultimate prize of the game. In 2004, it gave an entire section of the country a huge sigh of relief when the Red Sox won their first Series since 1918. George Herman Ruth can now rest easy knowing his name is no longer taken in vain anymore.

And, let's not forget last season!

What about this year? I'm not sure. In 2005, FOX Sports kept on reminding us that it only comes down to "1 Winner." I'm satisfied with knowing that. Otherwise, it's "wait until next year and hope" that something special will come our way.

Beijing or St. Pete...it's Baseball, Alright!

2008-08-19T20:17:03Z

Have you been watching the Olympics from Beijing? I'm sure most of you are. After all, who can resist some beach volleyball, synchronized diving, handball and rhythmic gymnastics? Michael Phelps has been the star of the show, bringing home more gold than Mark Spitz did in 1972. The USA basketball teams are gearing up for another haul of gold. The men have been on a quest to redeem themselves after an embarrassing 2004 trip to Athens. Maybe LeBron James decided to erase all of his Bjork songs from his MP3 player after that debacle.

Still, we have baseball. In its final year of medal competition, the Major League prospects, led by famed manager Davey Johnson, are in it to try to win it. So far...well...it's been interesting, to say the least.

It has been said that the game translates well in places where you least expect baseball to the played. One might think that the visions of that fight-marred Chicago White Sox-Kansas City Royals game may have been beamed around the world as a reminder that the game does get a bit crazy. Maybe it's OK for a pitcher from across the planet to plunk a batter for no reason. Maybe that pitcher has control issues...or, just downright hostile.

Taking a page from the White Sox and Royals, the USA and Chinese baseball teams decided to take their aggressions out on a game of bean ball. Six hit-by-pitches occurred between the host country and the place where the game was first popularized. Two more guys were injured in freak plays, including navigating the higher-than-normal bases used in international play. Not to mention the number of ejections only the AL Central rivals can match. Yet, no one can tell whether Johnson or Chinese Manager Jim Lefebvre was playing the roles of Ozzie Guillen and Trey Hillman.

Imagine if Ozzie was managing a Venezuelan team (or USA...he is a citizen now) in the Olympics. How long would you think that he would be dragged into Jacques Rogge's office with his country's Olympic committee getting a smackdown that Kenny Williams, Jerry Reinsdorf and Bud Selig would love to give Mr. Inappropriate?

Never before has détente meant anything in sport. Sure, the cold warriors traded boycotts in the 1980's, but not even the ghosts of Chairman Mao and Deng Xiaopeng can do the work the umpires in the China-USA game did. Granted, this game had a Dutch umpire behind home plate along with a Puerto Rican, a Cuban and a Canadian working the bases. They did a fine job restoring order in front of a not-so-friendly Beijing crowd.

There is some good news: The USA baseball team has advanced to the medal round. They will be joined by Japan, Cuba and Korea.

While you're watching the Olympics with its lip-synching, fake pyrotechnics, medal ceremony tantrums, world record showboating, unreported violence against foreigners (by the Chinese press, mind you) and Kobe Bryant, you're missing a good game stateside! In case you forgot, the two top teams in the American League are inside Tropicana Field in a series to determine "who's your daddy." The Tampa Bay Rays already took yesterday's game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in what could be a preview of coming attractions...in October. The series runs through Wednesday...and, look who's back? Rocco Baldelli! Even with Evan Longoria set to come back soon, the Rays are looking to strengthen their lineup for the push through September.

Unless you really want to see the Redemption Team to win, there's some great baseball that is not on any of the NBC Universal networks or played at the Wukesong Baseball Field. If you're lucky, you might get a good seat inside the Trop to witness it all!

Summer's Not Over Yet...It's Just Starting!

2008-08-15T15:20:19Z

At mid-August, we're only counting down the weeks before summer is over. For some school children, it's only a week or so to go. For vacationers, it's simply two more weeks to go. However, most of know that in actuality summer ends at the next equinox scheduled during the third weekend of September.

All of these are right, but for Major League Baseball, we only have six weeks left in the regular season.

It's been a great season so far. The pennant races threw us some surprises and some interesting changes in fortunes. It only takes a few bullet points to catch us up to date and to see where the next six weeks will take us.

The Tampa Bay Rays are still on top of the American League East. Shocked? Considering that a few of the guys, including Evan Longoria, are healing on the disabled list, they should be back for an epic finale that can only rival the Buccaneers' Super Bowl championship and the Lightning's Stanley Cup. The defending World Champion Boston Red Sox are still three games back, while the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays are gearing up for a run past the Red Sox to nibble at the Rays' top spot. Once Longoria and the guys on the DL get back in the lineup, it will be difficult to lament the absence of the third and fourth place spots in the post season.

You can send piranhas to chomp at the Chicago White Sox, but the Southsiders just keep pushing. There was a moment when the Carrasco-Olivo scuffle may have doomed the White Sox's chance at claiming another AL Central flag. Even the Kansas City Royals' Zach Grienke's plunking of Nick Swisher in the same game couldn't stop Ozzie Guillen's team from their destiny. Just a game behind are the Minnesota Twins, waiting for more pratfalls from the South Side to secure another division flag. The concern for the Twins would be the hot-and-cold nature of their level of play. This is where the Twins need to ratchet up their game a notch to overtake the White Sox. Otherwise, Ozzie and the guys will walk away with the flag.

After firing Willie Randolph, one would've thrown in the towel on the New York Mets. Under Jerry Manuel, they've ignited into a team that knows no fear. Currently, they're at the top of the National League East with a game's cushion between them and Philadelphia Phillies. Complicating matters are the Florida Marlins, just two-and-a-half games off the Mets' pace. This is a three horse race that again will go to the wire. The concern would be on the Mets with all eyes on Queens wondering if they'll melt down again. Overall, these are three great teams competing for the most sought-after flag of the senior circuit. Any of these teams will do the job, but once they get into October is another story. Sadly, only one of these teams will move forward into October.

Out West, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks have pulled even. The good news is that they're over .500! The addition of Manny Ramirez and Adam Dunn in this pennant race will make it more interesting to watch. Again, the same rule applies as in the East: One of these teams will make it into October. Whether Joe Torre will prove his worth in Southern California or not rides on how they match and overtake the D-Backs.

Two truths are self evident right now in the NL Central: If the season ends this weekend, the Chicago Cubs will win another division pennant and the Milwaukee Brewers will be the Wild Card. Before the All-Star Break, the Brew Crew was under .500 and had guys playing hurt. Now, everyone's healthy and C.C. Sabathia has taken control of the team. Down on the North Side of Chicago, the Rich Harden deal only enhanced a strong pitching staff. Lou Piniella's club is playing steady, but exceptional baseball. All season long, the Cubs showed strength with a goal in mind: Kill the goat! Watch for that goat in the meat section of your local Dominck's stores throughout the Chicagoland area.

How about the best record in baseball? How about the only team that can meet the Cubs in the World Series and give them seven games of hell? It was 29 years ago when the California Angels won their first AL West pennant. Orange County's team is setting club records that their Los Angeles County neighbors are finally taking notice. If it takes a second Commissioner's Trophy to get the respect of fans stretching from Santa Barbara to Las Vegas to Palm Springs, then so be it! If they do, the Cowboy can finally ride in peace up in the eternal ranch knowing that Arte Moreno is keeping his legacy alive.

Here's a question to ponder as we clock down the magic numbers and the weeks before we go October Gonzo: Where would you rather have your victory parade: Disneyland or The Loop?

For the answer to that question, the summer's not over yet to consider it.

More Manny, More Ozzie, More Junior...and It's August Already!

2008-08-04T20:00:42Z

Let's see...Manny was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a triad trade sending the Pittsburgh Pirates' Jason Bay to Boston. In the mix, Junior was sent to the Southside just in time for the White Sox's switch to retrograde. One bad brawl in Kansas City and the Minnesota Twins sneak onto the top of the AL Central ladder.

So, Manny's a Bum. I'm not happy with this. To see Manny as number 99 bleeding Dodger Blue and kissing Tommy Lasorda's ring is not Being Manny. No, Manny and his Brazilian wife and kids are much more free spirited than that! Is there a reggae scene in L.A.? I think there is, but not as cool as the Garage scene. What current Dodger would be found tripping off of Garage? I hope some of them...including Manny!

Oh, and what's a Bum, you ask? A Bum is what a New York Giants or Yankees fan before 1957 called the Dodgers when they played in Brooklyn. It is what San Franciscans should still call them, but newer generations of Giants fans seem to become soft on the whole rivalry business.

It is the new chapter of Manny Being Manny. Don Drysdale starred in movies and commercials schilling pool covers. What will Manny do in Southern California? Who knows?

From Chavez Ravine to the Red Line "L" at 35th Street, Ken Griffey, Jr. was brought in to "push" the Sox into the postseason. Before the 600-plus home run hitter showed up to join the club, Ozzie got into with the Twins fans after Ron Gardenhire imploded in front of a the faithful inside the Metrodome. He kicked his cap high in the air better than anyone on the University of Minnesota special teams squad. Ozzie responded by getting his club off the field and get into a yelling match in the process.

But, wait, there's more! On Sunday, Ozzie was in the middle of a nasty brawl with the Royals at Kaufmann Stadium. It was D.J. Carrasco's fault. That pitch wasn't intended to hit Miguel Olivo's wrist...wasn't it? Olivo went after Carrasco, A.J. Pierzynski grabbed Olivo from behind and the benches cleared. In the end, five offenders were sent off with red cards...oops, wrong game! They were just sent packing to the showers, Mr. Inappropriate included.

Then, the fingers began to point at each other. Olivo said the Sox intentionally threw at him. Guillen said Olivo overreacted with the excuse that he would never put in one his pitchers to throw an 85MPH pitch at anyone.

It doesn't matter, Ozzie! You blew it! Your team blew it! It doesn't matter if Carrasco's pitch to Olivo was intentional or not, your team slipped to second place! The piranhas just snapped at your feet enough for you and the Southsiders to fall deeper into the Chicago River! Happy?

The Minnesota Twins fans certainly are. Thank you, Ozzie!

Trading Manny?

2008-07-28T23:53:08Z

As the pennant races heat up and the non-waiver trade deadline approaches, the insanity begins.

This was evident on Friday night when Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox left Fenway an hour before facing the New York Yankees. He left the ballpark without formal notification because of continued soreness in his right knee. This was a culmination of events revolving around his sore right knee going back to Wednesday in Seattle.

Needless to say, the Red Sox organization has had enough.

Yes, this was a classic example of "Manny being Manny." It has gone to the point of ultimate tolerance even in the offices of John Henry and Larry Lucchino. Now, there is talk of trading Manny elsewhere.

Manny welcomes this open discussion of trading him elsewhere. He even waived his 10-5 Rights (10 years service, 5 years on the same club) of his No-Trade clause for Theo Epstein to make it happen. In his own words, Manny still loves the Sox, but "enough is enough."

I am not at the point of saying "good riddance." Henry made it clear that any distraction from the pennant race is unwelcome, whether it was the drama over his right knee or the hornet's nest revolving around his possible departure out of Boston. This is what the Red Sox Nation must undertake as a priority.

The point being that any trade to send Ramirez elsewhere will have to come as a sacrifice for the Red Sox. But, who would be resilient enough to fill his shoes in such a trade. What team will sacrifice not only paying more than planned on acquiring Ramirez, but send off their finest players for the outfielder's services?

Trading Ramirez is not going to be easy.

So far, the best trade of the deadline season was the Milwaukee Brewers' acquisition of former Cleveland Indians' starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia. Once the biggest prize of the deadline, that trade benefited the Brew Crew greatly as Sabathia is on a roll with shutouts and complete games under his belt. Now that Manny Ramirez has been touted as trade bait, the Sabathia deal could become a footnote to a larger drama in the game.

Then again, Ramirez could remain in New England and suck it up for another run at the postseason. This is probably the smartest thing considering the potential fall out of such a transaction.

So, even if Manny isn't going to Iraq as he offered up in an interview recently, one would hope that clarity will ensue between Ramirez and the Red Sox as they weigh a legitimate reason to pursue a transaction. In the end, emotions aren't enough for a reason to make a trade.

Favorite Quote from the 2008 Hall of Fame Induction

2008-07-28T23:45:23Z

"He was called a prude when he wouldn't let a woman into the naked men's World Series clubhouse, despite spending night after night in a hospital AIDS ward reading to dying gay men even before the dangers of that disease were fully understood."

Paul Degener
The son of the late former Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn

You know, I used to like Kuhn a lot as he the Commissioner during my younger years. There were times when I criticized him like everyone else. In all, I respected what he did for the game.

Yet, there were many things that I had no clue about Commissioner Kuhn. This was one of them.

That is what it takes to be enshrined in Cooperstown...taking baseball from beyond the diamond into every fan's hearts.

Thank you, Mr. Kuhn.

Before The Heirloom...

2008-07-24T16:03:03Z

Before I began posting on this site, it did cross my mind to start one of these up when they first came out. Even my friends encouraged me to start up an MLBlog when you actually paid for the privilege to do so. However, the prices for maintaining this blog weren't justified for me to do so, but I thank MLB Advanced Media for giving all of us a forum to express our thoughts amongst all of us...and beyond.

While I was hemming and hawing over getting an MLBlog space, I wrote a lot about the game dating back to when I began my current personal blog in 2005. As much as I wanted to include my older material on here, none of it would be relevant for the purpose of relevance on this site.

Now, I included a link to the older material on the side of this page. Feel free to peruse through these posts! I'm sure there are plenty of fans wanting to see what I had brewing for the three seasons prior to this one.

A word of warning, you might not be able to comment on the older material as that functionality was shut off on a lot of the posts due to spamming and such. If there is a particular post you wanted to comment on, feel free to do so here.

Enjoy the old stuff! In the meantime, enjoy the new, too!

The Hall Calls for the '84 Padres

2008-07-24T13:53:28Z

Tony Gwynn blazed a trail. He walked into the Baseball Hall of Fame and sported the plaque that wore the cap of the San Diego Padres on his chiseled bronze head. That plaque has been posted on the walls inside the Cooperstown, New York paean to the game.

This weekend, two more men will be enshrined just a few feet away from Gwynn's plaque. They also had an impact on baseball in "America's Finest City" as the manager and teammate of the young contact hitter at the ball club's finest hour. They were all involved on the seminal 1984 Padres team, also starring ex-Los Angeles Dodger Steve Garvey, that met the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.

Yet, the Hall has rules. Since the Padres did not win the 1984 World Series, these men accomplished Fall Classic victory elsewhere. For Veteran's Committee selection Dick Williams, he will wear the cap of the Oakland A's, the team he piloted to back-to-back World Championships in the early 1970's. For the BBWAA-elected reliever Rich "Goose" Gossage, he will wear the cap of the New York Yankees for the job he did in turning around the 1978 World Champions when he was sent to the bullpen in place of the departed and popular Sparky Lyle.

This is not a post questioning the Hall's decision to have these two men represent their winninest teams on their bronze plaques in Cooperstown. Yet, as a native Southern Californian, one who prefers the Pads over the Bums, it would be nice if they were recognized for their contribution to uplifting the Padres at a time when the game wrote them off.

As their skipper, Dick Williams always had a way with players. He was one tough guy who demanded the best out of the players and fought with his superiors. In 1967, he forged the "Impossible Dream" in Boston to the mercy of Bob Gibson's hard pitching and the offense of the St. Louis Cardinals. When he went on to Oakland, he led a revolution in many ways. For the first two championships in the 1970's, Williams was there, the first to wear the once-taboo moustache. His players were also on the revolutionary act, which is debatable whether they won because of it or now.

After even tougher tours in Anaheim and Montreal, he arrived in San Diego to don the brown-and-yellow...and orange. In his third season in Mission Valley, his Pads grabbed the National League Western Division pennant en route to a comeback win against the Chicago Cubs in the League Championship Series. Though the Pads won a game in the Fall Classic, Williams could not out-manage Sparky Anderson and the Tigers.

An integral part of the 1984 success was Gossage. Goose's career was never the smoothest getting to this point. He came up in the majors to the Chicago White Sox in 1972 as a reliever. He was making a name for himself, but Goose was never the marquee closer in the class of Lyle, Hoyt Wilhelm and Rollie Fingers. That was until 1978 when Gossage took over for the defending Cy Young Award winner Lyle in the ace closer role in The Bronx. Despite the fans anger towards this change, Gossage was credited for taking the Yanks back to winning the American League East from 15 games behind. Goose not only shut the door the Red Sox's season in that one-game playoff at Fenway Park, he also helped the Pinstripes to their victory over the Dodgers for the championship.

After a successful run in The Bronx, Gossage was signed by "Trader" Jack McKeon before the 1984 season to join a Padres club determined to reverse history. McKeon was a busy man making sure Williams will have a championship-level team on the field of Jack Murphy (Qualcomm) Stadium. Gossage was joined by his old Yankees teammate Graig Nettles, but it was clearly Garvey's team with a young Gwynn making plenty of noise. With all components in place, the Padres accomplished their objectives with a resounding 12 game gap between themselves and the rest of the NL West.

Considering this history, clearly the Baseball Hall of Fame recognizes the ties that bind these two 2008 Inductees. The Padres are entering their 25th season since that seminal 1984 campaign and shown their post-season prowess since then. A place in the 1998 World Series and subsequent divisional titles kept the Friars busy even as they moved from Mission Valley to the Gaslamp Quarter. Still, Williams and Gossage will take the stage in Cooperstown with their World Championship caps on their plaques, instead of their greatest triumphs represented in bronze.

The All-Star Stupor

2008-07-16T13:57:55Z

Fifteen innings of play capped the spotlight over the New York area. Justin Morneau punctuated a long night that gave the American League a home victory. This after Commissioner Bud Selig let play go on and not provide a repeat of the acrimony in Milwaukee a few years ago. Well played, Mr. Selig!

Well played, J.D. Drew! The All-Star MVP has grown up from the spoiled draftee refusing to sign with his original team to a championship ring-wearing hero. Perhaps this is his redemption.

The weekend itself looked amazing. Every event had a touch of Yankees sterling to it. From the Fan Fest at the Javits Center to the game itself, that Yankee touch is undeniable. Well played, Mr. Steinbrenner!

Yet, it seemed that everyone else stepped up to make the All-Star experience worth it. Think of the Home Run Derby where Josh Hamilton gave the fans at the old stadium a show while Morneau took home the honors of the event's champion. Well played, Justin and Josh!

When you looked at the field, how many new All-Stars shined during the game? It is great to see the teams assembled with not the same ol' superstars every year as the emerging stars take their place alongside the legends. The likes of Hamilton, Evan Longoria, Edinson Volquez, Ryan Braun and Geovany Soto took to the All-Star stage with amazing grace and class. Well played, men!

The gushing must stop. There's work to do as we enter in the second half of the season. The key for these All-Stars is to get back to their respective clubs and dive into their respective pennant races. These guys may have shined for one night only...or for a couple of nights...but, it's time to put on the hard hats, the gear and get back to work!

But, first, there's the matter of a trade deadline to tackle. Any rumors out there on how will follow C.C. Sabathia and Rich Harden into new homes in time to fuel the race to the postseason?

A Personal All-Star History

2008-07-09T13:41:30Z

The Midsummer classic will make its final appearance at the old Yankee Stadium next Tuesday. The significance of this All-Star Game in the Bronx seems more of a transition from the old to the new. One more spotlight on the original House that Ruth Built is all the Steinbrenners need before opening up the new house.

It just seems odd that it was 1977 when the game was last played in the Bronx. Wasn't the ballpark just been retrofitted a year or so back when they play the last All-Star Game there? Doesn't anyone recall that they had to do so because the place was falling apart when CBS owned the Yanks? The Pinstripes actually played 2-3 seasons in Flushing, Queens while their house was renovated.

Again, I can't stress enough the magic of my era. Granted, it wasn't the golden age of baseball, but it served a purpose for me. My memories of the All-Star Game reflected those times where baseball was experimenting with new markets and changes in the way they did business. Designated Hitters and Free Agency basically told the story of the game I grew up with.

I think back at some of the moments of the Midsummer Classic and ponder the game as it was even while Charlie O. Finley was destroying the A's.

1978 - San Diego: Dad went to this game. He could've asked his sons to come down from the Valley, but that would've been ugly. He had great Plaza level seats behind home plate, yet he never got into baseball as his ex-wife (my mother). What dad did see was Steve Garvey shown some love by the San Diego fans for one night only. I heard a fan through the television say: "We'll root for you tonight, but not tomorrow"...or, something to that affect. Little did they know that the All-Star MVP of 1978, in vivid Dodger Blue, would become a Padre hero six years later.

1979 - Seattle: As a Pirate fan that season, it was no surprise that I would mention the two amazing throws by Dave Parker from right field. Inside the Kingdome, the roof held up as Parker threw one guy out at third, then another one at home. It was one of those moments in which I wanted to say "I told you so!" I always knew The Cobra had amazing talent to go with his power. Yet, he was a troubled man. We did not know about his narcotic use until after his time in Pittsburgh was done. Still he left a last impression with a couple of astounding rifle arm throws from right field.

1981 - Cleveland: The rally cry was simple: "Baseball was back!" The All-Star Game was a time point where a labor dispute had to be resolved. Bowie Kuhn and Marvin Miller knew they had to get the job done for the sake of the game. Free Agency already sullied the game's finances and everyone wondered how much this will impact Major League Baseball as a whole. At old Municipal Stadium, the game roared back on a rare August date to a large crowd of 72,000-plus hungry for baseball. Len Barker gave the locals something to cheer about when he came on in relief of starter Jack Morris. The night would've been perfect if the American League won, but the game came back the way that it should...roaring!

1983 - Chicago/Comiskey Park: This old house sparked a new era in the game. Fifty years before, the first All-Star game was played on the South Side. It came back to the tune of an American League resurgence...and uprising. The bats of Fred Lynn and Jim Rice made enough noise for the old fireworks machine to explode from the scoreboard. Lynn, a California Angel at the time, made his third inning round-tripper a grand slam...an All-Star first! One would think that the NL's dominance of the Midsummer Classic would be done that night. In this game, it was only temporary.

1999 - Boston: If you remembered one thing about this All-Star Game, it would the appearance of Ted Williams. He came in on a golf cart to the delight of the players and the 34,000-plus in attendance. Williams also came as he was part of the "Team of the Century," highlighted by a rare appearance by Sandy Koufax and the controversial spotlight on Pete Rose. Then there was the game itself...uh, what game? Well, Pedro Martinez won in a Red Sox uniform for those keeping score.

2002 - Milwaukee: Now, we all should remember this...or, rather, prefer to forget it. Here's Commissioner Bud Selig...returning home for the All-Star Game...having to make the toughest decision in his career. When it was announced that all of the reserves and pitchers already played for each league, you'd think that the 41,000-plus on hand would march down Interstate 94 over to his mansion and burn it down. At the bottom of the eleventh, Selig pondered what to do. He called the game. He called it after some of the greats of the game showed up at Miller Park for a grand celebration of the game. He called it in the face of his old fans looking for bottles of Miller Brewing Company products to douse their former owner with. He called it to embarrass his hometown and the state he loves. Sorry I brought it up, folks!

There are probably more Midsummer Classics I can recall, but some memories blaze hotter than others. These are my memories. I hope your memories include this year's game at Yankee Stadium.

A Fantasy All-Star Lineup from the Past

2008-07-06T18:11:41Z

The votes are in. The All-Star lineups are being massaged and ready for Yankee Stadium. It looks like it's going to be an exciting weekend throughout the New York area.

The midsummer hype also made me think back about the All-Star games of the past. I remember a time before FOX where you voted for the fielding starters and let the managers pick at least one representative from each team in their respective league to round out the roster. That was it!

Think about this prompted me to search for an All-Star lineup that reflected my love for the game during my lifetime.

This was a tough lineup to fulfill. My core years for baseball ranged from 1972 onward to today. Though I did create the criteria that all of the below should not on any active roster as a player. Some of them are broadcasters, coaches, managers, scouts and executives. There are a couple of them who are no longer with us on this Earth.

There may be no surprises to these lineups. Then again, you may rediscover an old name you may have forgotten over time. Feel free to comment to argue, suggest or even reminisce over these fellas.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B - Willie Stargell: A true leader on the field and off.
2B - Joe Morgan: The prototypical second baseman of my era.
3B - Mike Schmidt: On the corner or at bat, there's no compromise when he's out on the field.
SS - Ozzie Smith: Forget the backflips, it's the enthusiasm of the game backed up with some of the best shortstop work in my lifetime.
C - Johnny Bench: Best. Catcher. Ever.
OF - Hank Aaron, Dave Parker and Dusty Baker: In one decade, these three brought excitement into the Stern household with nothing short of amazing performances.
STARTING PITCHER - Tom Seaver: The original "Tom Terriffic." A legend? Perhaps. Simply, he became the first big pitcher that blipped on my radar in the NL.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B - Rod Carew: His batting grip was unorthodox, but it worked for a career average of .328.
2B - Frank White: It is puzzling why we often forget about the perennial Kansas City Royals second baseman. In his day, he was the prototypical second baseman in the American League. You can argue for Paul Molitor, Willie Randolph or Bobby Grich, but you can never argue against Frank White's excellence in the middle.
3B - TIE: Brooks Robinson, Craig Nettles and George Brett: In this corner, you can't simply pick just one. All three equally stamped their ticket to immortality with amazing performances at bat and on the field.
SS - Cal Ripken, Jr.: Iron man. Gentleman.
C - Carlton Fisk: Pudge always inspires people to do their best no matter situation they are in.
DH - Reggie Jackson: He is the baddest dude ever to play the game of baseball. His bat talks louder than the exhaust notes of anything in his car collection.
OF - Jim Rice, Rickey Henderson and Kirby Puckett: Power, speed and complete heroism...if that's not a proper combination in an American League outfield, then what is?
STARTING PITCHER - Dave Stewart: Give him credit where credit is due. He came from mediocrity and was almost shown the door to the game to one of the most feared starting pitchers in the American League. The "death stare" was just enough to strike you out.

Yeah, yeah...we're talking mainly the 1970's and 1980's. No one can argue the quality of the game at the time, but for me...that's where it all began. Including some of my favorite All-Star games I've ever seen.

I'll post more of that later.

Double-Dipping In The Dome

2008-07-06T17:58:50Z

The scoreboard never lies, July 4, 2008. Photo by Randy Stern

On the Fourth of July, I attended what would be my last home game at the Metrodome for the season. This was accomplished after doing a double-dip of games at the home of the Minnesota Twins. In other words: It was a personal rare feat that I attended two games in a single week.

Earlier in the week, I caught the resurgent Detroit Tigers playing the Twins with Scott Baker on the mound for the home team. This time, it was the Twins that had the upper hand in the proceedings. Certainly the Tigers looked improved and showed they wouldn't back down from a fight. On the other hand, Nate Robertson couldn't get it together on the mound. Craig Monroe reminded Robertson who his Tiger was.

The Twins played well. There were some nervous moments, but you can tell that the Twins wanted nothing short of shoving the Tigers aside in the pennant race. Mission accomplished through taking chances...well, Carlos Gomez taking most of the Twins chances that evening.

Then, it was the Cleveland Indians again. On the fourth, the fireworks were certainly inside as well as a few blocks away over the Stone Arch Bridge. Nick Punto showed that his promotion to the number two spot on the batting rotation was no fluke. That home run just left of the baggie made sure of that fact.

Between the two games, a lot of observations had to be made of the Twins. For one, the off-season acquisitions facilitated by General Manager Bill Smith are paying off. Delmon Young's Friday night homer added to a vast improvement from the criticisms of not fulfilling his hype. Indeed, Young lived up to the expectations of everyone with sharp connections and smart defense.

Add to the fact that both Carlos Gomez and Craig Monroe are also contributing to the club's surge towards the division-leading Chicago White Sox. These guys aren't merely "Little Piranhas," but big fish making lots of noise. Gomez loves taking a few extra efforts in his play. He'll jump for balls, bunt when it is not necessary, use his body to take an extra base or score at home and defy the instructions of his manager Ron Gardenhire.

That's all good, but at the All-Star Break, you need to save those heroics when you need them.

Back to the statement made before: Why would this be my last home game at the Metrodome this season. Well, this summer has been hectic between things. Life's schedules prevent me from considering additional games at home. Not to mention that annoying fact of going to a ballgame solo. Not that I have friends who would love to go, but priorities sometimes clash at the worst possible times.

So, the next game I'll be attending will be in Toronto. I'm not joking here. While the Republicans are whipping up a frenzy just a few precious miles from my office, I will be in Toronto spending a few precious moments before returning back to my graduate studies.

Incidentally, the Jays will be playing the Twins that night.