Mark McGwire Took Steroids

I feel compelled to write on this topic since it's kind of a big deal right now, so I'll give my two cents on Mark McGwire admitting to taking steroids in the past.

Duh.

Was I the only guy who saw him go from this to this?

Not to mention the fact that Jose Canseco mentioned him in his book, Juiced, which has a batting average of about 1.000 right now. If Jose dropped your name, chances aren't good that you were clean. Luckily for me, Cal Ripken Jr.'s name is nowhere near that book. If it were, everything about my childhood would be meaningless and I could be found sitting out on the curb in front of my house, drinking hard liqour, wondering what the meaning of life is right now. Seriously.

Let me also say that I believe Mark McGwire should still be in the Hall of Fame. This guy was putting up numbers before he started juicing. 49 bombs in his rookie year? 104 combined in the three seasons after that? It's pretty clear that this guy was going to hit home runs regardless. Despite being injured and missing most of the 1993-94 seasons, he still put up 583 career homers. Yes, I know that some of those years are tainted by his steroid use, but you can't tell me that we're going to strip 100+ homers from his career total because of the juice. That just won't work for me.

If we're to believe he juiced from 1995 (post-injury) to 2001 (retirement), that gives us seven years with which to work. If we subtract 10 home runs per season in each of those seasons (which is really steep, but will help prove my point even better), he still ends up with over 500 career home runs. To put it bluntly, the guy is a Hall of Famer no matter how you slice it. Sure you can talk about the "purity of the game" or "cheating the game" or whatever; but the fact remains that he didn't break any rules with what he did, and there's no evidence that he ever broke any rules to get to the level at which he played. Skinny Mac would have made the Hall of Fame, so how can we keep out McGwire for what Big Mac did? It just doesn't make any sense.

I don't know if McGwire coming forward about his steroid use will help or hurt his Hall of Fame chances, but I don't care, either. I know a Hall of Fame player when I see him, and Mark McGwire is a Hall of Famer. I don't like that he used steroids, nor am I defending his usage. However, let's not pretend like we all weren't captivated by the 1998 home run chase with McGwire and Sammy Sosa when we all knew they were juicing. We'd all seen the before-and-after pictures; there was more than a good diet happening there. To go back now and penalize him for something we turned our heads away from then is just stupid. Yes, what we did as fans then was wrong, but we should be mature enough to admit it.

You know, like Mark McGwire did.

~~ Lank

Stealing Headlines After Stealing Third Base

Ok, here's the deal. I admire Johnny Damon's wherewithal and heads-up play in Game 4 of the World Series. After stealing second with two outs in the 9th inning (ballsy), he noticed no one was on third base due to the shift being shown batter Mark Teixeira and promptly took that base as well. Sounds simple enough, right?

According to better writers than me (seriously, these are two of my favorite baseball writers in the world), Johnny Damon turned the World Series in the Yankees' favor with his play.

Huh? What?

I would have written about this sooner (Game 4 was Sunday night, it's now Tuesday night), but I didn't start noticing all of these pieces until yesterday and today. I'm now flabbergasted. Don't get me wrong, Damon's steal sequence was terrific and will go down in baseball lore, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Despite what they'll tell you 20 years from now, Damon did not give the Yankees the go-ahead run on a steal, nor did he steal home 3 times in one game (ok, they might not say that in 20 years, but at the rate this story is taking off, who really knows). All he did, was move himself from first base to third base with two outs in the 9th. And that's key; there were already two outs when he came to the plate. He had a fantastic at-bat battling Lidge, and for my money, the at-bat was better than the steal(s). With Teixeira coming to the plate with a chance to give the Yanks the lead in a crucial game, Damon moving into scoring position was important, but it wasn't the world-changing event some are making it out to be.

Teixeira walked, so there were runners at first and third with two outs in the 9th, with who coming up? That's right, Alex Rodriguez. When Lidge gave Rodriguez a fastball in his wheelhouse, A-Rod rocked it down the line with a shot that took about .329 seconds to hit the wall. I mean, it was a laser. Only THEN did Damon score the go-ahead run. If Rodriguez strikes out, pops out, flies out, grounds out, or somehow finds another way to get out, we never hear about Damon's steal again. But because HE was clutch and Damon scored on HIS winning hit, we are hearing about Damon's great play.

Tell me how that makes sense again.

Rodriguez has been murdering every pitch in sight all postseason long, so Damon's best work was getting on so that A-Rod was only one hitter away. And considering that Mark Teixeira has been hitting in the World Series about as well as I would have, him getting hit on the arm by a Lidge fastball was another stroke of good luck.

The first stroke of good luck? Um, let me see, NOBODY COVERED THIRD BASE. I mean, come on, why are we giving Damon credit for taking advantage of a HUGE mental gaffe by the Phillies? Either pitcher Brad Lidge or catcher Carlos Ruiz had to be covering on that play. You cannot give a guy an empty base in the World Series (or any other time, but I'm trying to be dramatic here); you just can't. If somebody covers the base, Damon doesn't even think about going, and it's a non-issue. Did he make a great play? Not really, he just ran to an empty base and waited for a clutch hitter to knock him in for the go-ahead run. I hate to belittle such a heads-up move, because mental sharpness is a huge part of sports, but he didn't do anything that any other number of players wouldn't have done in the same situation.

The real hero of the night was Rodriguez, who ripped Lidge's slop down the left field line to drive in a run that gave the Yankees a 3-1 (now 3-2) World Series lead. Instead of getting the headlines and the credit for such a clutch hit (remember, there were two outs, a sacrifice fly was out of the question), Rodriguez has been asked approximately 217 questions about Damon's steal. Once again, someone needs to explain to me how that makes sense.

Johnny, congratulations. You made a smart play at a crucial time in a huge ballgame. I am not demeaning the play, nor trying to make it seem like what you did was run-of-the-mill. However, you and I both know that Rodriguez getting a hit in his situation was a lot more clutch than you running to an empty base after you (daringly) stole second. You do know that, right?

The next time a situational play turns into a huge deal in a playoff series, be sure to applaud the guy(s) involved. Just make sure you also acknowledge the guy who actually turned that situational play into a big deal.

~~ Lank

World Series Preview

I, for one, am really excited about this year’s World Series. Don’t get me wrong, I watch the World Series every year and love baseball in general, but not every Series in recent years has gotten me excited. The Rays were a fun story last year, but Philadelphia seemed better; ditto the Rockies/Red Sox fiasco in ’07. I was jacked in 2006 because Willie P’s beloved Cardinals were the underdogs against a very good Detroit team. 2005 brought us the Astros and the White Sox, which isn’t exactly a Series etched in the collective memory of baseball fans. So, you see, it’s rare that you can get a matchup between two very, very good teams that has the potential to take all seven games to settle. I honestly think the Yankees-Phillies series is going to be tremendous. They both have remarkable lineups, solid-to-great starting pitching, and a champions’ swagger to them. We could be witnessing history here, folks, and I can’t wait to watch it unfold.

Yankees Offense: Let’s be honest, there’s a lot to like here. Derek Jeter (.297 postseason BA, 9 runs scored) setting the table for Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez (.438 postseason BA, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 10 runs scored) is about as good as it gets. Johnny Damon has had a resurgent year for the Yankees from the two-hole, and it’ll be interesting to see if he can continue to be another baserunner in front of the Yankees’ power hitters. Jorge Posada hasn’t had a great postseason, but he hasn’t been bad either with a .258 postseason BA and two homers. After those guys, there’s a bit of a drop-off with Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano, and Nick Swisher, who haven’t hit very well this postseason. Matsui and Cano have proven to be good playoff hitters in the past, but they need to find their strokes soon if New York is to reach its potential.

Phillies Offense: One of the few offense is baseball that can rival New York’s, the Phillies have a complete lineup. 2007 NL MVP Jimmy Rollins gets on base and All-Stars Chase Utley (.303 postseason BA) and Ryan Howard (.355 postseason BA, 14 RBI) drive him in. Shane Victorino (.361 posteason BA, 8 runs scored) and Jayson Werth (5 HR, 10 RBI) provide another level of punch to the Philadelphia batting order. Raul Ibanez hasn’t hit well this postseason, but his 9 RBIs show that he’s still capable of driving in runs when the Phillies need him to. There is no shortage of pop on the Philly side of the field when it comes to offense. They score, and score a lot.

Yankees Defense: This is going to be an interesting facet to the series. Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter are no longer as swift as they once were, so will they be able to keep the loopers and bloops from falling in for singles? If CC Sabathia and company have to deal with extra baserunners that should have been out, it’s going to put increased pressure on them. It will be key for the Yankees to not only commit as few errors as possible, but to get to the in-between balls and make sure that they’re outs instead of hits. The Phillies can score plenty on their own; they don’t need help adding baserunners.

Phillies Defense: This is an area where I think the Phillies have an advantage. Shane Victorino is a great centerfielder and will be able to cut out some potential extra-base hits for New York. Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth aren’t great corner outfielders, but they are solid and shouldn’t commit any gaffes that will cost their team. Jimmy Rollins is about as good as it gets defensively at short, and Chase Utley completes a great tandem up the middle for Philly. Ryan Howard has improved greatly at first base since his rookie year and can bail out his teammates with digs and scoops. The Phillies have the advantage on defense.

Yankees Starting Rotation: As long as the series allows New York to pitch three guys, they’ll be fine. CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Andy Pettitte have been great for the Yankees this postseason and form a trio of great options for manager Joe Girardi. However, if we get some bad weather in New York and/or Philadelphia (imagine that) and games have to get pushed back, that could cause some problems. Chad Gaudin would most likely be the fourth starter, and that’s not something the Yankees want to see. As long as the three-headed monster is the only thing facing the Phillies, New York has to feel much better about its chances.

Phillies Starting Rotation: Cliff Lee, your boys need you. Lee has been masterful since coming over from Cleveland in a midseason deal, and he’ll need to set the tone again in Game 1. With Pedro Martinez throwing Game 2 and Cole Hamels throwing Game 3, there aren’t a lot of concrete answers coming the Phillies’ way any time soon. I love Pete as much as the next guy (except for Skip), but you can’t tell me what you’re going to get out of him on Thursday night. I could see 0 runs in 7 innings pitched, but I could also see 5 runs in 5 innings pitched. Hamels was lights-out last year as the NLCS and World Series MVP for Philadelphia, but has not resembled that same pitcher this year. If he can somehow manage to pull himself together for this series, it’d be a huge boost to the Phillies.

Yankees Bullpen: Joba Chamberlain. Phil Hughes. Damaso Marte. Remember those names, because those are the guys who will bridge the gap between the starters and closer Mariano Rivera. Rivera is about as money as it gets in the playoffs, and the starting pitching has been good, so as long as the bridge between the two isn’t filled with potholes, the Yankees will be in good shape. Chamberlain has only allowed one run this postseason (in 3.1 innings of work), which bodes well for New York. They need him to be strong. Hughes was roughed up in Game 5 against the Angels in the ALCS, but has been just about perfect the rest of the postseason. Marte is important because he’s one of the few left-handers out of the bullpen and will be called upon against the likes of Howard, Utley, and Ibanez. He has yet to give up a run this postseason and will need to continue that fine form for New York to have a chance in the late innings against the Philly offense.

Phillies Bullpen: This, ladies and gentlemen, is where the Phillies often get bit. Brad Lidge, after going perfect in save opportunities last year, blew 11 this season. He has been up-and-down all season long, but has been great in the postseason, only allowing one hit while recording 3 saves and a victory. Chad Durbin has two wins out of the ‘pen this postseason and has yet to allow a hit. His win in Game 5 of the NLCS sealed the victory for the Phillies and allowed them to rest up for the World Series. He’s been great. Chan Ho Park and Ryan Madson will also see work in the series, and they haven’t been dependable this postseason. Madson has two blown saves and Park’s ERA is 8.10. Needless to say, Philly fans won’t feel comfortable when either of them are handed the ball against the Yankees.

Final Prediction: Yankees in 7 After crunching the numbers, following my gut, and flipping a coin several times, I’ve decided to go with New York in a back-and-forth series. Their starting pitching is more dependable, their offense is just as good as Philly’s (if not better), and their bullpen is less likely to blow a game (or two). When it comes to winning championships in team sports, you need production from every facet of the squad. The Yankees have proven that they’re able to get such production, and I look for them to put forth a great team effort in the World Series and vanquish the Phillies in the maximum seven games.

~~ Lank

A-Rod Killing the Postseason...and His Haters

I'm happy for Alex Rodriguez. I really am. Yeah, I wrote a fairly scathing article about him back in the summer, but I've always been a big defender of his. He's one of the Top 10 players ever, and he's doing things that cannot be done on a baseball field by mere mortals. He's been putting up ridiculous numbers year after year for such a long time that people have become accustomed to getting 30 bombs and 100 ribbies from him.

And then hating on him during the postseason.

Sure, he's had his struggles in the playoffs. The 2006 ALDS against Detroit was a disaster, and he didn't hit particularly well against Cleveland in 2007. However, his career playoff numbers are better than those of "Mr. October" Reggie Jackson. To say that the guy isn't clutch in the postseason just isn't accurate. Many of the postseason series in which he's performed poorly have been with the Yankees, which only magnifies the perceived problem. Those short series did not give a very large sample size, and it's possible that A-Rod just had a bad week...you know, those things that happen all the time during a baseball season? Sure, having a bad week at a bad time isn't an excuse for not performing up to expectations in the postseason, but it's not like the guy had 10 games and was bad in all of them.

As we've seen this postseason (and in his years in Seattle), the guy is going to perform if given enough chances. He was on fire against Minnesota and has been downright filthy against Anaheim (no, I still don't call them the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; that's silly). His late-inning home run in Game 2 was unreal. Nobody on, down by one, bottom of the 11th, Angels closer Brian Fuentes in the game (who led the league in saves this year), a steady rainfall coming down...and he hits the game-tying bomb to the opposite field. It was something that you expect a great player to do, yet are still truly impressed when it actually happens. Those are the moments that will endear A-Rod to Yankees fans and will rewrite his legacy as a postseason choke artist.

Even if that legacy is ill-conceived.

~~ Lank

The National League Wild Card: Who Wants It?

Last week, my roommate asked me who was going to win the National League Wild Card race. I thought for a minute and then said, "the Colorado Rockies." Then I thought a minute more and said, "nah, give me the Giants." Finally, exasperated, I said, "no, I'm gonna go with the Rockies because the Giants can't score and losing all of those 2-1 games will come back to bite them later."

Here we are a little later in the season, and I'm still not quite sure who's going to win it.

As of right now, the Rockies hold a slight lead, but there are roughly 20 games left in the season, and a cold streak at the wrong time could screw things up. They recently had to shut down closer Huston Street for a little while because of an injury to his biceps. Considering he has 33 saves and a sub-3.00 ERA, that's not the type of thing you want to happen at such a crucial time in the season. He's expected back soon, but the Rockies need to hold down the fort until he returns. Starting pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez and Jason Marquis have been great for Colorado this season, but any slip-ups from them, and all of a sudden a 3.5-game lead turns into a 1-game lead.

On the other hand, San Francisco has been unable to find any offense recently, which is about how things have gone all season. The Giants feature one of the best rotations in baseball with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Barry Zito, but as good as those guys are, they can't win unless they're given run support. Brad Penny, recently acquired from Boston, has been great in his two starts with San Fran, but he can't do anything for the offense. The Giants are 19-20 in one-run games which goes to show that even when their pitching is great, it doesn't guarantee a win. Such problems have hindered Los Gigantes all season long, and unless they get on a hot streak hitting-wise in September, they'll be enjoying the postseason from the comfort of their own homes. Which is a shame considering a postseason series would be imminently winnable for them should they line up Lincecum, Cain, and Zito against any offense in the league. You've gotta get to the postseason before you can win in the postseason, however, and I just don't see San Francisco getting up the hill.

Lurking relatively far behind are the Florida Marlins and the Atlanta Braves. I only include them in this argument because the numbers require me to, but they're not really threats. Both have been up-and-down all season, and look unable to put together a winning streak that would put a considerable dent in the Rockies' lead. The Marlins are a team loaded with young talent (especially on the mound), but lack the maturity to go on a run in September. The Braves feature a terrific rotation (led by the unrookie-like rookie Tommy Hanson), but cannot put runs across the board often enough to contend. Maybe these teams will challenge in 2010, but not this year.

So, getting back to the original argument, Rockies or Giants? I'm sticking with the Rockies because as we all know, we're getting closer and closer to Rocktober, but don't be surprised if the Giants make the next few weeks very uncomfortable for them. That was quite the diplomatic answer, wasn't it? What's wrong with me?

Screw it; go Rockies.

~~ Lank

Now I Know How The Cubs Feel

My dad, Willie P, is the biggest St. Louis Cardinals fan in the world. No, really, he is. For his birthday, I bought him this ginormous book about the history of baseball in St. Louis. It wouldn't surprise me if he finished it within the week. Regardless, he's been on me lately about not posting anything about his beloved Redbirds, since they've been murdering anything in sight. So here I was, at the beginning of the week, ready to wax poetic about their run since they acquired Matt Holliday, ready to talk about the absurd numbers of pitchers Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, and Joel Pineiro, and ready to praise the Cardinals for showing some grit despite injuries and dry spells in their lineup.

Then somebody beat me to it.

The good news is that 'somebody' is, in fact, St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz, and his job is to follow St. Louis sports for a living. So at least if I get beat, it's by a professional from St. Louis who knows what he's doing. The bad news is, at the end of the day, I still got beat. It seems that professionals from St. Louis are beating everyone these days (heck, even the Rams are looking good this preseason).

So, instead of reading my take on things in The Lou, just click on the link I provided and get the word straight from the horse's mouth. Bernie does a very good job covering the sports scene in the Gateway City, and his article is a lot better than mine would have been anyway. For the record, I'm currently coming up with something new to write about the Cardinals to appease my father. Granted, no matter what I write, he'll want me to write something else the next week. But at least, it'll give me a day or two of a sense of accomplishment.

You know, the same thing that everyone in St. Louis seems to be feeling right now.

~~ Lank

Happy Birthday, Cal

A few weeks ago, I wrote a happy birthday post to my favorite basketball player ever, David Robinson. Today, I get to write a similar post to my favorite baseball player ever, and favorite athlete ever, Calvin Edwin Ripken, Jr.

You may know him as Cal or Iron Man. He turned 49 today.

For 21 seasons, Ripken was the epitome of a baseball player. Playing every day (literally, for almost 17 seasons), #8 redefined the shortstop position, both offensively and defensively. Gone were the days of a small, light-hitting, defensive-minded shortstop patrolling the middle of the diamond. The 6'4", 225-lb. hoss ushered in the era of shortstops who could field their position, but also be counted on to contribute offensively. Before Alex Rodriguez showed up on the scene (and before Ripken was moved to 3rd base in 1997, Ripken owned pretty much every offensive record for shortstops.

Yes, Ripken's career will always be remember for The Streak, in which he played 2,632 straight games, breaking Lou Gehrig's previous record of 2,130, but let's not forget how productive he was as a player. 19 All-Star games, 2 MVPs, over 3,000 hits, over 600 doubles, over 400 home runs, nearly 1,700 runs batted in, and a World Series ring put the quantity of his career into picture, but not the quality. It wasn't just the mind-boggling numbers he put up, it was the grace and respect for the game with which he played that always set Ripken apart from his peers. If you need a sterling example of what a big-leaguer should be, look no further than the formers Orioles shortstop.

Cal never shrugged off a fan's request for an autograph, never got suspended for any games, never caused any fights in the locker room, and never showed up a teammate in the field -- all while putting up Hall of Fame numbers while enduring the daily grind of playing baseball day in and day out for over 20 years. Despite only making 8 errors in 1989 and 3 errors in 1990 (unheard of totals for a shortstop), Ripken didn't win the Gold Glove in either year (though he would later win two). Did he make a big deal out of it? Of course not; that wouldn't have been The Ripken Way.

Cal's father, Cal Sr., instilled in him the principles of hard work, commitment, and practicing your craft. Over his career, no one exemplified these principles better than Cal. Even though he's been gone from the game for 8 years (man, has it really been that long?), his exploits and accomplishments remain fresh in the minds of baseball fans everywhere, especially this fan's. Cal may not play for the Orange Birds any more, but not a day goes by that I don't think about him or relish the fact that I was able to see him play.

So, Cal, thank you. For the memories, for the on-field excellence, for making the Orioles good, for the example you set, for everything. There has never been a baseball player like you before; and, at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, there never will be again.

~~ Lank

Someone In Washington Has A Plan

All you hear out of Washington these days is indecision, confusion, and bickering. This side can't agree with that side; those guys can't agree with these guys; and so forth and so on. I have good news, though. Someone in Washington has finally implemented a plan that seems to have their people headed in the right direction. No no, it's not who you think.

It's the Washington Nationals.

I know, I know, it's hard to believe. I still have trouble believing that I'm actually writing something complimentary about a franchise that has had problems getting out of its own way ever since the move to our nation's capital from Montreal back in 2005. Whether it's not signing a first round pick, botching the age of a Latin prospect, or simply losing more games than everyone else, the Nationals haven't exactly been a model organization as of late.

The winds of change seem to be upon us, though.

With this week's signing of pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg, the Nats took a step in the right direction, locking down a player whom many GMs are calling the best pitcher to come along in a decade. Sure, we've heard that about players before, but it's not wise to let those types of guys go unsigned. Another building block occurred today, when the Nationals removed the interim tag from general manager Mike Rizzo's title. Rizzo took over in March for Jim Bowden, the incompetent GM who oversaw the prospect age fiasco and the mounting losses. Since then, he's put together a fine roster of young players whose talent could add up to something in the coming years.

Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Dunn, Nyjer Morgan, and Josh Willingham are guys who could be the core of a vastly improved team next season. Since Manny Acta was fired as manager, Jim Riggleman has gotten the Nationals back to respectability, even winning 11 of 14 games in recent weeks. That's not to say that a division crown is in the near future; it's just to say that the crown isn't as far off as it once was. As long as the Nationals continue to build slowly but surely under Rizzo, there can be genuine hope for this franchise.

Hey, hope in Washington is what got the first biracial President of the United States elected. Imagine what it can do for a lowly baseball franchise looking to build a winner.

~~ Lank

Oh, Rangers, How You Tease Us

Am I falling victim to the same trap all over again? You know, the one where the Texas Rangers keep the AL West race close until mid-to-late August and then begin their fall swoon. But, for some reason, this season feels different. The Rangers aren't just bombing away on teams anymore, they're outpitching them and outdefending them...while also still hitting a ton.

The difference? I'm not sure, to tell you the truth. Health has something to do with it, considering Hank Blalock, Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, and Ian Kinsler all had their problems with the injury bug last year. Of that group, only Hamilton has missed significant time this year. Pitching also has something to do with it. Kevin Millwood has come on strong here lately, but the unknown guys have stepped up as well. Scott Feldman is putting up some very solid numbers, giving Texas a good #2 to back up Millwood. Vicente Padilla was throwing well, but his toxic demeanor and general disposition didn't sit well with the Texas brass, and they jettisoned him. I applaud them for that. Rather than tolerating his outbursts in order to benefit from his production, they decided to get rid of him and show the rest of the team what being a Texas Ranger is supposed to be about.

Let's not credit too many people without crediting manager Ron Washington. Ever since coming over from Oakland, "Wash" hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with management, but the players love playing for him and it shows with the desire and hustle with which they play night in and night out. His old-school ways have rubbed off on his roster, and the Rangers are now doing the little things to win instead of waiting on a three-run homer to put them ahead.

Heading into tonight's action, the Rangers were tied with Boston for the Wild Card lead, and 5.5 games behind the scorching Angels in the AL West. It's unlikely that they'll be able to catch Anaheim, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers gave the Red Sox a run for their money well into September. This team has speed, power, adequate pitching, and a better defense than they get credit for. As long as the pressure of being in a playoff chase doesn't get to them, look for the Texas Rangers to be heard from come October. Whether or not they get all the way up the hill remains to be seen; but this is certainly a different outfit than we're used to seeing in the past.

Or is it?

~~ Lank

How the East Was Won

Well, that was decisive.

Over the weekend, the New York Yankees took it upon themselves to bury the Boston Red Sox in the American League East. The 4-game series in the Bronx took the Yankees' lead from 2.5 games to 6.5 games, but the real damage was done psychologically. Coming into the series, Boston had an 8-0 series lead this season, but by halving the difference (at least numerically) between the two, the Yankees served notice that they're getting strong as the season progresses, whereas Boston seems to have peaked in early July.

Between the John Smoltz mistake to the ongoing David Ortiz saga, Boston doesn't know which was is up right now. On the other hand, New York has solidified their rotation with the recent consistent performances of Andy Pettitte and A.J. Burnett (periods accepted, and his start last week against Chicago notwithstanding). CC Sabathia (no periods, remember) can still by dynamic, and you have to figure it's only a matter of time before a guy of his talent figures things out. He hasn't been terrible this year, but he certainly hasn't earned the unreal contract he received in the offseason.

The teams have appeared to be going in different directions for weeks now, but the Rumble in the Bronx only confirmed that theory. Despite the fact that 50 games are left in the season, give or take, New York seems to be playing their best ball of the season, and that's a scary proposition for the rest of the league. Yes, the Anaheim Angels (I refuse to call them by their new moniker) are playing well as of late, but we all know what happens when they get in the postseason. Plus, Vladimir Guerrero looks terrible this year and they can't win a postseason series without him hitting; I don't care what Kendry Morales or Bobby Abreu are doing.

Boston needs to circle the wagons here pretty soon. If they're not careful, Texas or Tampa Bay may sneak up and grab the Wild Card spot from them. There's no chance they win the AL East (trust me), but if they let their despair of losing out to the Yankees linger too long, they're gonna mess around and miss the playoffs altogether. Texas has its fair share of pitching problems and Tampa Bay can't seem to string anything together, but as close as things are right now, Boston can't take anything for granted.

If I were a betting man, I'd choose Boston to win the Wild Card. Between Beckett, Wakefield, and Lester, they have enough pitching to get over the hump. The only problem is they might end up back in the Boogie Down come October. And if this weekend taught us anything, it's that Boston isn't quite ready to beat the Yankees there.

~~ Lank

Umm, Josh? Not a Good Idea

Apparently, Josh Hamilton got blasthouse in January during spring training and had an enjoyable time with some ladies. No big deal, right?

Wrong.

Hamilton has been the poster boy for recovering addicts, going from I-can't-function-without-having-coke-and-I-don't-mean-the-soda to dropping 245 home runs in last year's Home Run Derby. It's been a great story, the former #1 overall pick who's been to hell and back; a two-time All-Star selection after throwing away his life, career, and relationships.

Oh yeah, and he's married. With kids.

Basically, once you've been linked to a lot of drugs, a lot of bad decisions, and a train wreck of an existence, your leash is a lot shorter than anyone else's. (It's kind of weird when you think about it logically; the guy who's made more mistakes than anyone else is held to a higher standard of behavior.) Regardless, Hamilton's relapse reveals a frightening moment in his life. For someone with such a horrid past, the slightest screw-up is going to make people think the worst.

The good news is that instead of going Big Papi on us and playing dumb or trying to push it aside, Hamilton has come forth with his explanation, basically saying how stupid it was, how he's not perfect, and how he's working day after day after day to completely defeat his addiction problem but has not yet done so. It's a small reward for fans of his, admittedly. But when something like this happens, as a fan, you hope that he gives a strong, determined response as opposed to a "don't bother me or worry about my business" type response.

Hamilton clearly hasn't gotten past all of the problems that have hurt him in the past. His support system is strong and his heart is in the right place, but at the end of the day, this was a monumental blunder on the path to full recovery. As a person, and as a fan, I'm hopeful that Josh Hamilton continues to put in the effort every day to tackle his problems, and that his friends and family stay as supportive as ever in order to be there for him in such a troubling time.

We've all seen what can happen to someone in this position in the blink of an eye. For Josh's sake, let's hope he catches himself this time before he falls back into the abyss.

~~ Lank

Major League Baseball 2nd Half Lookahead

It's mid-July now. The All-Star Game has come and gone (the American League won again...shocker). The trade deadline is rapidly approaching (will Halladay be traded or won't he). And the playoff races are slowly beginning to take shape. Sure, nobody can truly be eliminated in mid-July and nobody can be crowned division champ so early, but there have been enough games now to know who's for real and who's living on borrowed time.

With that, Skip To My Lank investigates the Division and Wild Card races for your reading pleasure...

American League:

East - Boston's got an abundance of pitching, New York has an abundance of hitting, and Tampa Bay has an abundance of...well, we're not sure yet. With all of the injuries they've suffered, the Rays are still a question mark. We know what they can do based on their American League-winning performance in 2008, but we've yet to see all the pieces come together this season. As of this writing, they're 4.5 games out, and I don't see them ever being whole enough to overtake the Yankees or Red Sox. So, it comes down to Boston and New York yet again. Who gets the edge? I say Boston. Their starting rotation has been great this year (and that doesn't even count Clay Buchholz, who only gets spot starts) and the bullpen, with the recent play of Daniel Bard, is beginning to take form. Despite spending a boatload of cash in the offseason for CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, the Yankees have been shaky in the pitching department. If Sabathia is up to his old second-half tricks, Burnett settles into a consistent pattern, and Joba Chamberlain continues his recent successes, the Yankees have a chance. But for now, give them the Wild Card over Tampa Bay, and give the AL East to Boston.

Central - Here's a fun one. Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota are all within 2 games of one another, and I have no idea who's going to win. Detroit's starting pitching has been lights out, but their bullpen and lineup have been up-and-down. Can Edwin Jackson continue to be great? Will 20-year-old Rick Porcello begin to show his age? Will Justin Verlander keep pitching like an ace? If the Tigers can answer "yes, no, yes" to these questions, they just might win it. However, Chicago has a weird intangible about their team that I can't ignore. With only one All-Star (Mark Buehrle), they have a bunch of scrappy guys who play a lot of close games. We're 92 games into the season, and their run differential for the year is ZERO. That's absurd. I don't think they can continue to live so close to the edge...but maybe I'm crazy. Minnesota probably has the best talent of the three teams in the race, but their pitching continues to be shaky. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau give them two legit MVP candidates, and Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel are solid producers. If Nick Blackburn, Francisco Liriano, Scott Baker, and company can provide enough quality starts to get to the automatic Joe Nathan at the end of games, the Twins will be fine. As the season has shown, however, that's a big if.

West - This has to be Anaheim, right? Yeah, the Rangers are fun and plucky, and the Mariners continue to hang around, but Anaheim's just better than them...I think. The sad event involving Nick Adenhart earlier this year threw the Angels into a tailspin, but recently they've steadied th ship, and Torii Hunter now leads a relatively potent offense that gets better by the day. Kendry Morales has been a surprise for them, and Bobby Abreu has been solid, so I look for Anaheim to hold off Seattle and Texas. My boy Josh Hamilton recently returned to the Rangers, but it may not be enough. Their second-best pitcher is Vicente Padilla, and I just don't trust that. As always, the Rangers will probably score 800 runs and it won't matter. Kevin Millwood has been great this year, but I don't see the pitching depth needed to play deep into October. The Mariners have gotten a career year from Russell Branyan, a standard (read: great) year from Ichiro, and solid pitching from Felix Hernandez and Jarrod Washburn, but they play too many close games to win the division. Eventually, those one-run games are gonna stop going your way. That's just mathematics.

National League:

East - The hotter-than-a-five-dollar-pistol Phillies are starting to distance themselves from the field. New York has been held back by injuries, Florida is held back by inexperience, and Atlanta is held back by a lack of talent. Despite their pitching woes, Philadelphia can still rely on their offense to produce big numbers (especially now that Raul Ibanez is back). If they somehow get Roy Halladay, this division is pretty much curtains...and it may be anyway. Unless Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, and Jose Reyes come back soon (and I mean really soon), the Mets are screwed. Their pitching is atrocious, their second-teamers aren't hitting enough, and the gap between them and the Phillies continues to grow by the day. I included Atlanta and Florida to be nice, but their inability to get firmly above .500 is going to do them in. Each team is too streaky to be taken seriously, and as they continue to go 5-5 every 10 games, Philly is going 7-3 and expanding their lead. It's a game of streaks, boys.

Central - Heart or head? Heart of head? My heart is with the St. Louis Cardinals, because that's my dad's favorite team. My head is with...well, St. Louis! Great, this can work out after all. The Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, and Cincinnati Reds are all within 5 games, but it's essentially a three-team race. St. Louis, Chicago, and Milwaukee are the class of this division and will be battling out until October 4th. I've chosen the Cardinals to win the division because they have Albert Pujols and nobody else does. The guy is simply unbelievable. Throw in the fact that they've got the best starting pitching in the division, and the NL Central should be theirs. Chicago has too many headaches and chemistry problems to worry about (not to mention Geovany Soto and Kosuke Fukudome not hitting), and won't be able to overcome that. Milwaukee has a tremendous lineup led by Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun, but the starting pitching just isn't there outside of Yovani Gallardo, the young wonder.

West - Dodgers. Dodgers. Dodgers. Yes, their rotation is pretty thin, but they've built up such a big lead (8 games) that it won't matter. They did a wonderful job of holding down the fort while Manny was suspended, and now they're in a position to begin tweaking things for the playoffs. As long as the young duo of Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw continue to be great, Los Angeles will have no problem winning this division. A consolation prize for the San Francisco Giants will be the NL Wild Card. Their rotation of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Barry Zito, Randy Johnson, and Jonathan Sanchez (yes, he's inconsistent, but he did throw the only no-hitter this season) will make up for their lackluster offense. It's not hard to win a bunch of 3-2 games when you have starting pitching like that.

So there you have it, the way things will shake out in each division the rest of this baseball season. Just for kicks, I polled a few friends of Skip To My Lank to get their thoughts on midseason World Series predictions. Whose do you like best?

Skip: Boston Red Sox over Philadelphia Phillies
Lank: Boston Red Sox over Philadelphia Phillies
Big Brother: Philadelphia Phillies over Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Willie P: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox
Baseball Mom: Los Angeles Dodgers over Detroit Tigers

~~ Lank

Another Reason to Love Minor League Baseball

When it comes to attending minor league baseball games, there's really no downside. The tickets are cheap, the concessions are cheap, the parks are small enough that even with a less-than-stellar crowd they have a cozy feel, and you get some legit promotion nights.

Like Ballpark Wedding Night.

I'm gonna need you to peep that link before I continue...





...ok, got it now?

How awesome is that? Not only did the Lehigh Valley IronPigs allow couples the opportunity to exchange vows at home plate (something I'm now considering doing when I get married in 2031), but they wore TUXEDO JERSEYS to honor the date. Just a wonderful idea. I can't get enough of it. That's minor league baseball at its finest. Major league teams have too much at stake in terms of merchandising and reputation to risk such a thing, but minor league teams? Please, they love anything that brings fans to the stadium and gets them some publicity.

I'm going on vacation in a week, and one of the things on the docket is to attend an Indianapolis Indians game, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Needless to say, if the Injuns pull out a stunt anywhere near that of Lehigh, I might become the team's designated blogger out of respect for the organization.

A man can dream right?

~~ Lank

Barry, You've Got Some Work To Do

Don't worry, this isn't a politically-charged post. I gave up on talking about politics years ago. Nowadays, I choose to focus on things that really matter.

Like Presidents throwing out first pitches at baseball games.

I like Barack Obama. I voted for Barack Obama. However, our Commander-in-Chief has some work to do on his fastball. For those of you who missed it, President Obama threw out the first pitch at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game in St. Louis on Tuesday. His result wasn't entirely terrible; the ball made it the majority of the distance in the air and didn't bounce up there (thanks to Albert Pujols reaching across the plate to scoop it). But Barry, if you want my full confidence, you need to use a bit more shoulder, flatten out the ball's trajectory a little bit, and hit the catcher in the chest.

You know, like your predecessor did. And still does.

Again, this has nothing to do with politics. I voted for both of these men in separate elections and think they both have their good qualities and bad qualities as politicians. When it comes to tossing that cowhide, though, the edge clearly goes to George W. Bush. Hopefully, when the 2012 All-Star Game comes around, Mr. Obama will have gotten enough work in that he'll be able to throw it straight down Broadway on a line. Yes, he's get plenty of other work to do as well, but let's not immediately cast throwing a baseball to the side.

After all, it only seems fitting that our national leader should be good at our national pastime.

~~ Lank

Home Run Derby Disappointment

The Home Run Derby is one of my favorite events of the year. Yes, it's hokey, and yes, it's contrived, but it always ends up being fun. There's just something thrilling about watching 8 of the best home run hitters in the game hit batting practice balls into the seats time and time again. I'm going to watch it again this year (Monday on ESPN), but I'm going to do so begrudgingly.

We got shafted on the participant selections.

When the National League participants were announced, I had hope for this year's Derby. Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder, and Adrian Gonzalez? Don't mind if I do. There have been years past where the creme de la creme have chosen not to participate, but as long as you get a few horses in there, I'm ok with that. So after seeing the NL's lineup, I was excited...until I saw the selections for the American League.

Joe Mauer, Brandon Inge, and Nelson Cruz. Really? That's the best you can do? Look, I realize Justin Morneau (last year's winner) and Josh Hamilton (last year's showstopper) politely declined the invitation. I'm fine with that; they put on a show last year and couldn't be expected to do the same this year. But why were three guys selected who aren't established home run hitters? After dropping two bombs Sunday, Inge now has 21; but his career high is 27. Joe Mauer has 15 at the break...and that's a career high. Nelson Cruz has 22 home runs this season, which is exactly how many he's had the last three seasons...combined. No, really, look it up.

The fourth contestant for the American League has yet to be named, but hopefully they'll choose somebody like the recently-named All-Star substitute Carlos Pena. Or maybe his teammate (and participant last year) Evan Longoria. Mark Teixeira is there, and so is Jason Bay. Please, for the love of all that is righteous, choose one of them. There has to be someone on the American League side that I firmly believe is going to hit more than 5 out tomorrow night at picturesque Busch Stadium.

As you can tell, I'm getting a little worked up over this. I'm sorry that I'm not sorry, but I enjoy the Home Run Derby and I just want to make sure it's reaching its potential this year. Nelson Cruz won't help it do such a thing, nor will Joe Mauer; but at least we have Albert Pujols around to put on a show for his hometown fans.

Albert, I love you. Please make my viewership worthwhile tomorrow night. Thanks, you're the best. No, really, you are.

~~ Lank

What to Do with A-Rod?

The New York Yankees have a problem. A very expensive one. Over the next 8.5 seasons, they owe Alex Rodriguez the remainder of the 10-year, $275 million contract that he negotiated for himself before the beginning of the 2008 season. I don't know the exact structure of the deal, but we'll pretend it's distributed evenly over the duration of the deal; meaning the Yankees owe him $220 million plus the $13+ million that he'll get for the rest of this year.

Oh, and did I mention that the guy is turning 34 at the end of this month, coming off of hip surgery (and will require further surgery after the season) and batting .246 this year? Ouch.

From the outset, the contract was ridiculous. Even before the PED allegations, the weird photo shoot for Vanity Fair, and his personal life going to hell in a handbasket. Think about it, the Yankees signed a guy who was turning 33 the next season to a TEN YEAR CONTRACT WORTH $275 MILLION. So, New York, you're telling me that a 40-year-old Alex Rodriguez is going to be worth $27.5 million? Really? You honestly thought he wouldn't decline by then? What foresight.

Don't get me wrong here, A-Rod is great. He's one of the 5 best players of my generation (along with Bonds, Griffey, Pujols, and Manny). I fully expect him to get his legs back under him and hit in the .280 range by the end of the season. His power numbers will be fine (relative to the number of games he plays, that is), and he'll end up having a good year; he's just that talented. But there's no defending inking him, or any player for that matter, to a decade-long deal once he's already in his 30s.

In case you're wondering, the money is guaranteed. No out clause here.

So, what will the Yankees do with him? They can't trade him, because nobody will want him at that price. They can't release him, because they're contractually obligated to pay him the full value of the deal. They can't bench him, because they'd have to pay for another third baseman to take his spot, and I doubt they'd find somebody playing for the league minimum who could produce like him, even at age 38. Basically, they're going to have to suck it up and hope he isn't falling all over himself in the latter stages of the deal. As long as he puts up .280/30/110, or thereabouts, I think they can stomach that. Yes, it's a far cry from his 2007 year of .314/54/156 (which just so happened to be the year before he negotiated the contract), but it's solid enough that you don't look completely stupid for paying him that much.

Only a little bit stupid. Ok, a lot.

Will he produce those numbers at an advanced age? No, of course not. Only Manny Ramirez came close to continuing his early-30s production into his late-30s, and he was juicing. Think about it, we're in Year 2 of the contract, and it's already looking like a shaky proposition. Can you imagine what the furor is gonna look like in the the Big Apple when he's 39 years old, hitting .212 and getting paid $27.5 million for it? My goodness.

But at least there's hope for Alex: maybe by then, people will be more concerned with 400-lb. CC Sabathia not being able to make it to the sixth inning in any of his starts. Gotta love the Yankees.

~~ Lank