Results tagged ‘ Spring Training ’
Spring Training 2011: The Healing, The Triumphs and The Pain
THE HEALING: For all the talk of head and face injuries this week, there is some good news on two fronts. Luis Salazar went through the first two rounds of surgery this week. He seems to improving and communicating – which is a good sign indeed! What I did not know was the impact was greater than believed. Though his facial bones of his skull were impacted, the ball also crushed his left eye. There will be a third procedure this weekend in Orlando to work on the left eye to see whether there was any vision loss.
The second big news has been a long time coming. Justin Morneau made his first game appearance of Spring Training since his concussion last summer. Morneau went 0-2 at bat, despite reaching on an error his second at-bat. After reaching his base, Morneau was pulled for a pinch runner. The Minnesota Twins beat their “crosstown” rivals, the Boston Red Sox 3-2…though the Sox had a split squad facing Brian Duensing and company.
THE TRIUMPHS: Speaking of the Twins. I recently had a debate as to who would be the next young star of my current local team. The majority of people I talked to pointed to Danny Valencia – currently on track to become the starting third baseman on Opening Day. He’s quite a talent, more of a fielder and contact hitter than clutch or impact player. Valencia could grow into that player – and, believe me, they’ll need another one. He’s got the numbers – batting .389 with no homers and only three RBIs.
However, I have to turn to Luke Hughes, the Bloke from Perth. It appears he is fighting for the final bench spot with Matt Tolbert and Trevor Plouffe. Hughes’ numbers speak louder here – batting .370, three homers and 10 RBIs. The problem I see when it comes down to these three is experience. Tolbert has the edge in this department and Plouffe had been on the big club more days than Hughes. Sadly, that means Hughes can end up in Rochester (AAA) by Opening Day. Personally, that would not site with me well. So, Gardy, if he does come up – keep him there! Thank you, mate!
Without making this an all-Twins blog post, I am happy to hear that Joe Nathan is on track to being on the roster on Opening Day. In four games, the Twins’ closer pitched four innings with only two strikeouts, but walked two batters. All reports indicate marked improvement and high confidence in Nathan’s progress from Tommy John Surgery. I have yet to read what the situation has been to ensure both Nathan and Matt Capps can co-exist in the same bullpen and which exact roles each reliever will have strategy-wise. I’ll leave that to Rick Anderson to sort out.
THE PAIN: For the number of Japanese players in our game, the personal affect from the events of the earthquake off the northeastern coast of their beloved country cannot be ignored. Not to recap the earthquake and the resulting tsunami, the impact of these events were truly felt around the Pacific and beyond. One could not feel for the loss of life and property that occurred because of this tragedy. However, we can commensurate with our ballplayers with ties back to Japan who may have loved ones lost or shaken out of their comfort because of this fragile Earth.
If you feel compelled to assist those in Japan, contact your local chapter of the International Red Cross to see what you can do.
Photos courtesy of Major League Baseball
Spring Training 2011: It Takes a Man…
Luis Salazar didn’t have much warning. Or, did he?
During yesterday’s exhibition game with the St. Louis Cardinals, The manager of the Lynchburg Hillcats, the Advanced-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, was standing on the top step of the dugout when a Brian McCann line drive off Kyle Lohse cleared the padding on the protective screen onto Salazar’s face. The next thing everyone knew was the former Major Leaguer was airlifted to a nearby Level I trauma center in Orlando.
Luckily, Salazar is fine. He was talking to his family despite having taking a line drive in his face.
It’s been stated that a line drive of such velocity and distance can be lethal if it made contact with someone not knowing if the ball was coming at them. Salazar was very lucky. He survived the impact of the ball thanks to the response by the Braves and medical personnel.
McCann was remorseful after his foul ball liner knocked Salazar out. He took the next pitch from Lohse and took himself out of the game.
It takes a man like McCann to be human in the face of tragedy. He understood it was an accidental situation. The ball’s trajectory was completely out of McCann’s control once it met up with the swinging bat. If it wasn’t Salazar, it could’ve been anyone – or anything.
What McCann did was to take himself out of the situation. Would any ballplayer do that? In some cases, they’ll play on. I’ll bet there are others like McCann who would do the same in a similar situation regardless of the consequences.
All I do is hope for a speedy recovery for Salazar and prayers for his family and the Braves organization. I also pray for Brian McCann as he also heals from this incident as well.
Spring Training 2011: A (Temporary) Baseball Beacon in Tucson
Things haven’t been the same in Tucson so far this year. One of their members of Congress was shot a suburban shopping center two months ago. One of those bullets killed a baseball legacy in the granddaughter of Dallas Green. Another killed a highly respected Federal judge in town.
Yet, Christine-Taylor Green’s spirit still resonates in the game. But, the game’s impact on the city had been absent since last September. The Golden Baseball League’s entry that played at old Hi-Corbett Field is on hiatus until everyone figured out what to do about professional ball in a town who’s history with the game dates back to 1915.
Now that the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies bolted to the far reaches of Scottsdale for their new combined spring training home, the city seemed pretty empty. If you count the University of Arizona’s baseball program, anticipation of the temporarily relocated Portland Beavers (AAA/San Diego Padres) playing at Kino Veteran’s Memorial Stadium (formerly Tucson Electric Park) starting in April may provide some soft of lift in civic pride.
Perhaps it is a good thing that Kino will host two spring training games featuring the D-Backs, the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The games, on March 7th and 25th, are designed to engage the community with the memory and spirit of Christine-Taylor Green, Dallas Green’s granddaughter who lost her life in the shootings.
These games will benefit the Tucson Together Fund. Monday’s game will feature the D-Backs and the Southsiders, while the 25th will be the D-Backs and Dodgers. There is talk that the Padres may feature a game at Kino benefitting the same charity.
Yet, how will baseball continue in the city if its newest ballclub only committed for a single season at Kino? As I mentioned before, the Tucson Padres were slated to play in Arizona until a new ballpark is built in the San Diego suburb of Escondido. The original estimate of the ballpark project was a grand opening in 2013. The deal with Tucson only provided baseball through this season, but no reports of an option for 2012 and beyond.
Which brings up a question for the Padres: If the City of Escondido cannot retain funding for the ballpark so your Triple-A team to play in North County, are you willing to keep that team in Tucson past the one-year deal?
I do have a suggestion for Jeff Moorad: Lake Elsinore. The Diamond has been home to the Storm of the California League (Single-A Advanced, and a Padres affiliate) and remains one of the finest facilities in the minors, period. The facility already seats 6,066 seats with luxury facilities and a stadium club. The Diamond can accommodate 8,000 or more in a pinch. New stands can be erected to meet the 10,000-seat average needed for Triple-A baseball. Not to mention, it’s right off of Interstate 15 – and local transit could create additional access for its new fan base in a growing part of Southern California.
There are some issues that would need to be examined, though. It is another 44 miles further from PETCO Park from its proposed Escondido location, but it is a possibility for a fraction of the cost building a ballpark in North San Diego County. It would also mean relocating the Storm to another community. The Storm could easily take the place of one of the remaining Golden Baseball League (now North American Baseball League) sites – Chico, California, for example. Nettleton Stadium has 4,200 seats ready to go for Cal League ball.
Perhaps to ensure the history of minor league baseball, even in the heat of Southern Arizona – maybe it’s less expensive to keep the Triple-A Pads in Tucson for at least the short haul – 3-5 years, maybe? I mean – Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium isn’t a bad place to play at all!
Why stop tradition? Why have a repeat of the period between 1959 and 1968 when professional baseball was not played in Tucson? This city needs the game badly to heal its lingering wounds. It will take more than 2-3 spring training games and a committed season of Triple-A ball to do so.
Spring Training 2011: The Nation…Before The Pleasantries Resume
Yeah, yeah…I live in the Twin Cities. I root for the Twins because they’re my local team and they’re quite good. But, I’ve yet to talk about my other AL team – the perennial Red Sox.
JENKS’ NEW GROOVE: First off, I’m glad they resolved the Jon Papelbon-Bobby Jenks situation. Jenks doesn’t have to be the closer on this Sox team – not with Dropkick Muprhys on cue for Pap. It’s probably a good thing because I envision Jenks more of a set-up guy, similar to what Brian Fuentes was to Matt Capps in Minnesota late last season. Then again, reports have Jenks not even a set-up…that would be Daniel Bard’s place in the bullpen.
The best place to put Jenks in would be if the Sox have a slim deficit in a game, about the sixth or seventh inning with the opposition threatening. That’s where Jenks could push back with his pitching. Believe me, Jenks could throw some mean, raucous stuff. Just a suggestion, Terry and Curt.
HARDHEADED BECKETT:I’m a bit worried about Josh Beckett after getting dinged during batting practice this week. He says he’s OK, but after seeing so many concussions happen in the past twelve months, I hope there’s no relapse. Sure, many would shrug it off as a “few knocks to the head,” but watching Justin Morneau’s monitored progress on the other side of Fort Myers – I ended up reading the reports from the study on the late hockey star Bob Probert’s brain. If you have a chance, please Google it. It’s a telling tale.
Yet, everyone said that Beckett’s concussion was “mild” and he’ll be back on the mound by Tuesday. Let’s hope so.
UPDATES – CRAW, GONZO AND PAPI: Even better news is seeing Carl Crawford enjoying his new team. He’s been my center fielder since Torii Hunter left Minnesota for Anaheim – but much respect to Torii, though. Craw brings a lot of Fenway – I’ve said that plenty of times. Yet, he has not made a hit in his three games he played so far this spring. Am I a bit concerned? Maybe.
Then, there’s Gonzo. I know Adrian is still nursing an off-season injury, but he knows what to do. He did take batting practice and was encouraged by his cuts. Soon, he’ll be playing in the Grapefruit. Soon, Gonzo will show what Theo Epstein and a few of us who know him what he’s all about.
However, David Ortiz is on track for 2011. What can I say…he’s my man in the Nation. Big Papi has a .455 batting average this spring with only a homer, five hits and four RBIs. And, some of you question why I have his jersey…and hope he doesn’t have another slow start like he did last April.
But, Papi, I have to admit that I’ve been watching another player who’s been hot, too. He’s with the Twins – Luke Hughes. He’s Australian, ya know. That’s OK, I’m not getting his jersey soon…so yours is safe in my closet.
RESUMING OF PLEASANTRIES: Tonight, war will begin again. The Sox and The Yankees at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa – though it’s only one of two this spring before they exchange pleasantries for another 18 during the regular season. Clay Buchholz is pitching tonight against Bartolo Colon…um, wait…Colon?!? How? Why? Is he still relevant?
And, what about ex-Dodger Russell Martin playing understudy to Jorge Posada? I still can’t compute that one, either…
Probably a good thing I write about this as I ordered a new Sox t-shirt from a particular national retailer’s online shop…good price, too!
Spring Training 2011: …I Didn’t Forget You!
I did not watch the Oscars last night. I was pitched to do photography at an Oscar party, I declined. My excuse was, and it was valid for circumstances driven by economic ends, I had to work on a draft of my final paper for my graduate program.
As Jian Ghomeshi, on this morning’s CBC Radio One’s “Q,” described the show, it was “awful.” Within the first 30 minutes of this morning’s show, his Oscar Panel of Canadian film critics tore up James Franco to the point almost calling his acting career over. Actors do not make award show hosts, folks!
I figured my so-called “gay card” has been secured by at least mentioning last night’s excuse for an over-the-top party with plenty of new martini ideas…
For the record, I do not drink.
What else happened last night? Well…ever heard of a place called Fort Myers? That’s where the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins hold Spring Training camp. They kicked off their Spring showcase against each other at the Twins’ camp. The 8-4 Twins victory was courtesy of Carl Pavano’s moustache – and just 12 pitches over two full innings of work. The Twins relied on an ex-Red Sox journeyman first baseman, Jeff Bailey, to be the only one clearing the fence, while the Sox had two dingers in their effort. No Mauer or Morneau was seen outside the dugout that game. Then again, was it too early to bring on out there?
The morning after the red carpet was trodded upon provided perspective on the first weekend of Spring games. It also began the grind before Opening Day to figure out whom shall go to the big club – and whom shall be assigned elsewhere.
It was also the second match-up between the Twins and the Sox in Fort Myers. The Sox won, 7-6. But, I’m not mentioning today’s game for who won and the score. The bloke from Perth (that’s in Australia, if you have a globe to look at), Luke Hughes, helped the Twins’ cause by smashing one off of Tim Wakefield over the fence. If you recall, he was one of the players to watch. The bloke’s got power! Seriously – he can be a clutch player! Don’t believe me – ask Tim Wakefield!
No Mauer or Morneau in today’s game, either. Jeff Bailey did start at first. A good sign for the journeyman! We’ll see…
Good signs all around. Yet, it’s not even March…
A Meeting of Two Minds…One Charismatic, Of Course!
Photo by some random person using Randy Stern’s camera
Last night, there was a meeting of the MLBlogs minds in the River North section of Chicago. I happen to be town to fulfill my other blogging obligation for MotorGeek, the four-wheeled version of The Heirloom, by covering the Chicago Auto Show’s Press Days.
As you can see on the photo above, to your right is one half of Red State Blue State, Mr. Jeffery Lung. Over dinner at a pretty nice place a block from my hotel, we talked about…baseball was indeed part of the conversation. We think it’s great that we can talk about the game now that we are days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training.
One thing we did not discuss (or, at least I recall not discussing) was Albert Pujols. I’m glad we didn’t. It would’ve made for a bad exit.
Thank you, Jeff, for meeting with me. I look forward to many conversations over baseball going forward. Now, I ask y’all to do me a favor: Don’t hate Jeff ‘cuz he’s one of the coolest fellas in the Blogosphere! And RSBS can’t be stopped! Ya heard? Holla!
My lesson for the blogosphere: We are all human beings who write about the passion of baseball. We also use this to hopefully connect with our readers and our fellow MLBloggers. When we end up in each other’s backyard, drop a line! Don’t be shy! We’re family!
Cheesy Endings, Flying Pigs and the Ten-Day Countdown
Before the party… All photos by Randy Stern
Super Bowl XLV – done!
Ten days separate Aaron Rogers’ anointment to Wisconsin lore and the arrival of pitchers and catchers in Florida and Arizona for Spring Training. I’m glad it arrived when it did because of the shouting across social media networks of Packers and Steelers fans were very distracting to someone trying to work on a key piece of graduate school work.
Worse still – I was in Madison, Wisconsin visiting friends and celebrating a birthday this past weekend. Bucky stepped aside for cheeseheads and a sea of green-and-yellow. I had to hold my tongue to mute.
I did celebrate, though – at a Rockford Ice Hogs game! That’s the American Hockey League for those keeping score. They beat the visiting Abbotsford Heat 3-2 on Saturday night. Good times!
Of course, in ten days I hope we see some sort of path for the Dodgers in terms of which catcher will start on Opening Night against the defending World Series Champs San Francisco Giants. Will it be Dioner or Rod? Donnie will decide…
As for Joe Nathan – all I hear is “progress” for the closer who missed 2010 due to injury. Exactly what kind of progress will be made in ten days for Nathan? And, how committed will Rick Anderson and Gardy be towards Matt Capps if Nathan is 100% by Opening Weekend?
So, to the Twitterverse, I answered your call to start talking about baseball. Now what? Come with it, I say!
And, Ozzie, we didn’t need to see that pic of you eating Jello on your Twitter account…
Next Stop on the Stephen Strasburg Tour: Harrisburg
I think I should’ve won a bet.
The flirtation of putting Stephen Strasburg on the Opening Day roster of the Washington Nationals is over. However, I have to admit that my vision of having last year’s top draft choice start on Harrisburg’s City Island was dead on. As to how long he’ll stay in Pennsylvania’s state capital before jumping to Syracuse (and to the Navy Yard), just watch…
Here’s the thing about Strasburg: Why should we care? Yes, he has the potential to be the next great pitcher, but not now. Rarely do you see guys jump from high school (or college) directly to the majors without cutting their teeth in the minors. This is not the NBA where the phenom is found in middle school and cultivated with free top shelf Nikes, an agent and a new luxury SUV upon retaining their driver’s license.
In baseball, you have to earn your way on the 25-man roster. You have to ride on buses, stay in small towns and learn to deal with fans that are in your face constantly – especially when they’re your neighbors!
Then, there’s the mechanics. A pitcher may possess the skills and the ability to pitch on a major league level. But, there are other enhancements that will have to be coached down in the minors. How do you strengthen a pitcher for longevity (without any PEDs or other substances, of course)? How do you give a pitcher more professional game situation experience? How do you “pace” an arm during rest periods? These are skills that take years to perfect before a player gets the call up to the majors. An arm needs to work through a full schedule of games to see whether it has the endurance to go year-to-year.
Obviously, I am not knocking Strasburg or the Nats regarding this decision. It is probably best they did this so they can cultivate his talents towards being a major league starter. Yet, they also know that some players have varying learning curves to augment their natural talent. Some players can fast track towards a spot on the big club.
I remember seeing Prince Fielder and Tony Gwynn, Jr. years ago when they played for the Beloit Snappers. One of the Madison, Wisconsin papers did a story of them staying in an apartment in Janesville while they were learning the game within the Milwaukee Brewers farm system. Big deal, right? Though he was making his mark on the Snappers with his power at bat, Fielder was anxious to make it to the big club – and made it two years after his stint in South Central Wisconsin. Still, Fielder knew that he needed to gain the experience necessary to make it in the bigs by being humble in the farm system.
Perhaps that’s the lesson Strasburg will take when he arrives in Harrisburg next month. The Senators and their fans will welcome their lightly-tested superstar as he proves to the Eastern League that he belongs in this game and will elevate himself as he gains the strength and endurance required for today’s major league starters.
When will Strasburg arrive in Syracuse (or on South Capitol Street)…stay tuned.
On a side note: Imagine my glee when I saw Saint Mary’s College and the University of Northern Iowa advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament. Now, imagine my disappointment that the University of North Dakota gets the automatic bid into the NCAA Frozen Four. OK, back to baseball…
Spring Becomes More Interesting By The Day
It doesn’t get any stranger – this spring.
After a couple of days of walking on sunshine and 60-degree temps, someone threw open the freezer. Fine. I went to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Final Five tournament site at the Xcel Energy Center for some inspiration and photography. Well, if I had an extra $45 to throw around, I’d enjoy it more. Sadly, I was too late for the start of the first conference semi-final (St. Cloud State won), too early for both the Fan Fest at the RiverCentre and the second semifinal (North Dakota won). It was for naught – and, I should’ve bundled up.
Ah, but stranger things have happened – such as the decision by both the incoming and outgoing ownership to let Ron Washington manage the Texas Rangers despite the positive test for cocaine. Washington’s mea culpa was simply good enough and team president Nolan Ryan recommended Washington’s retention for now. Yes, there is a belief in giving people second chances, even in extreme situations such as drug abuse, extramarital affairs and such. The Rangers’ current ownership tempered this “second chance” with a “zero tolerance” dictum. If Washington is randomly tested and is found with another positive result – forget where the Rangers are in the standings, they will have to find a manager that has a clean record and the ability to turn their hefty investment into a postseason participant (i.e. Vladimir Guerrero).
As for Ozzie Guillen’s son resigning form the Chicago White Sox organization, a lesson for those of us who use social media and networking tools: Be extra careful what you say on them when many eyes are upon you! This came as I was working with my web designer (and very close friend) on the re-launching of my external site. I asked whether some posts from my blog should be purged or not. If it contains language and/or a temper that inappropriate for promoting or doing business, it should be removed or edited. On Twitter, there is no editing (from what I gather) or any way to “hide” a tweet (also from what I gather). Oney should’ve known that.
Airing Oney’s issues with Kenny Williams (the Southsiders’ GM) and the organization is not the first time the sports business had to deal with demonstrative tweets. How many times have you heard of a league going after an athlete about what they broadcasted within 150 characters to the world? Then, that league starts promoting its best users of said social media tool on its website. Why? It is because these fellas are playing “within the lines” (and Shaquille O’Neal’s Twitter is hilarious).
This calls for another suggestion – one made by MLB.com: A reality show on the Guillens! I’d watch that! Why? Think of when Ozzy Osbourne and his family had their show on MTV. The Prince of Darkness provided hours of entertainment outside of biting off the heads of bats and slogging through his post-Sabbath song collection. The White Sox manager – even if you don’t understand a word of his in English, his thought process alone is off-the-cuff classic! Think “Casey Stengel” or “Leo Durocher” – that’s Ozzie! And his family – a chip off the old block! It will be brilliant television!
I was going to say something about the news of Strasburg’s not making the Nationals’ 25-man roster – but I started working on a much larger piece on that I’ll post later…
As for my NCAA tourney bracket – I never filled one out. However, I’m glad that Saint Mary’s College (a sister institution to my grad school) and Northern Iowa are still in it. As for Minnesota – not surprised they crashed out.
For now, be careful what you tweet…especially if you’re last name is Guillen!
A Trinity – And, Not Exactly The Good Kind
What a busy day in Spring Training. Makes me want to be there…yet, the She-Fan reports colder than usual temperatures in the Tampa-St. Pete area. Oh, c’mon, that’s nothing! I expect my first game at Target Field to be in the 40s or 50s by the first pitch.
Yet, some people are experiencing a frost in their psyche today. I’m sure Elijah Dukes, Ron Washington and Cliff Lee are finding solace that their lives are being discussed ad nauseum on the various channels of the media available for regurgitation.
What I know is this: Dukes was sent packing by the Washington Nationals because of “performance issues.” The Nats’ beat reporter, Bill Ladson, reports that Dukes was batting .150 this spring and had some mechanical and physical issues to boot. Like everyone else, I thought that Dukes was ready to take a starting role on an improving ballclub. Still, there were speculations that his past caught up with him when he had a series of behavioral and substance abuse issues when he was on the Tampa Bay Rays. The Nats denied such actions occurred with Duke – however, you had to question the club about it when General Manager Mike Rizzo said: “We have a more cohesive, united group. I think the chemistry will continue to be great. We think we are going to be a better ballclub moving forward.”
Oh, really? Are you trying to tell us something, Mike? Inquiring minds want to know…
Then, I heard that the Seattle Mariners’ new ace was suspended for five games because he didn’t know what happened to an inside pitch that plunked Chris Snyder’s left shoulder. That sent the Arizona Diamondbacks’ catcher steaming towards Lee and both benches meeting up like a scene out of “West Side Story.”
I just found it curious after the game when the former Cy Young Award winner was questioned about the pitch to Snyder. Lee said he wanted to pitch inside on Snyder, but could not recall what happened afterwards. That’s like saying “I didn’t know the gun was loaded.” A pitcher, especially one on the level of excellence as Lee, is responsible for everything from making the decision from the catcher to a particular pitch to throw through the entire motion, delivery and release of the ball. I am not going to question whether the pitch was an intentional insider onto Snyder or not. But, I need to question Lee’s ability to maintain a top-level position on the mound if he could not explain the pitch itself.
Isn’t the key element to a pitcher’s success on the mound the absolute maintenance of control? Think about that for five games, Cliff!
And, how could I not ignore the admission by the manager of the Texas Rangers about his cocaine use? This came about when Washington was tested positive for cocaine use last summer under the dictum that also pits managers and coaches under random testing regimens. He said it was a “one-time thing” and underwent the MLB’s drug rehabilitation program because of it.
Granted his mea culpa was sincere and the current Rangers management has backed Washington because of his response, yet I have to wonder what the league will have to do about it. Simply, Washington blew it – especially in the face of a push to eradicate illegal substances from this game.
Amazing that we had this kind of drama just weeks before the regular season is to begin. On this day of green beer and continuous play of The Chieftains and U2, neither Dukes, Lee nor Washington got the luck of the Irish. Not on the day when a tradition formed by the late Tug McGraw for the Phillies to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day is this game showing a pot of gold to the world.
Besides, it’s probably apropos to play “Downpressor Man” by Sinead O’Connor while reading this under the influence of mass quantities of Guinness.
Randy Stern
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