Sometimes the worst place to be during a Red Sox/Yankees series is at home in New York City. That is, if you are a Met fan in NYC. For all of our inferiority complexes and little brother syndromes, there is not much more that can make us feel completely insignificant than when the Yankees and Red Sox do battle. Every bar is filled big screens showing Jeter and Papi, while Beltran gets what feels like an 18" screen at the corner of the bar. As a result of this, and the fact that if I am with my friends I am forced to abandon my Mets for the enjoyment of the group, I get to watch a lot of these Yankee/Red Sox battles. While there are tons of different things to love about this rivalry, and just as many memorable moments, there is one constant that fixates me to the screen at least four times a game. Watching Manny Ramirez hit.
He is, in my mind, the greatest right handed hitter that I have ever seen. Since his first full season in 1995, Manny has hit over .300 every year except for twice. He has hit over .340 twice and has six career 40 homer seasons. Manny has driven in 100 runs or more in every season since 1995 except for one and has a career on base of .410. Numbers are great, but they do not tell the entire story. To me, the epitome of a good hitter is someone who will consistently fight off good pitches and hammer bad ones. To me, has done this better than anyone in the American League over the past 10-12 years, and still has a few more year left in him. As a pure hitter, there is no one I would rather watch up at the plate.
Now, when I judge a hitter there there is an order to how what means most to me. Number one is batting average. Number two is power. Three is the ability to not strikeout and last is the skill of seeing pitches or taking walks. When I look at all the players that I have had a chance to watch over the past 15 years or so, there are a few that jump out at me.
1. Tony Gwynn: I know he did not have the power of others, but he hit so many line drives. He never struck out and would not swing at balls. The only thing missing from him and Ted Williams as a hitter is the power (which is a very big difference).
2. Manny Ramirez: read above
3. Vladamir Guerrero: This guy can hit anything. Unreal plate coverage, and crazy power. He is a modern day DiMaggio in that he is a free swinger, but does not strike out much. Does not walk a ton, but he has improved this aspect as he has had to in that bare Angel line-up.
4. Albert Pujols: He may end up on top of this list, but I am not ready to put him there yet. His strikeout rate is one of the best ever for a man with his power. Every aspect of hitting, he is one of the best.
5. Ichiro: Basically can do whatever he wants with the bat. Not great power, but you get the feeling that if he wanted to he could hit .300 instead of .330 and his 20 HRs instead of 10. A flat-out hit machine.
Honorable Mentions:
Derek Jeter: Has gotten better with age; similar to Ichiro in the hits he racks up
Mike Piazza: If he retired three years ago he would had had a career .320 AVG. That is rare-air and ridiculous for a catcher
Nomar Garciaparra: There was a time when I felt he had the best shot in baseball to come close to DiMaggio's 56 game streak. Lights out hitter in his prime.
Alex Rodriguez: Insane power and has a career AVG over .300
Ken Griffey Jr.: Great power and the prettiest swing most of us have ever seen.
Gary Sheffield: Quickest bat over the past 15 years. People forget that he once won a batting title.
*Barry Bonds: Rank him will you may. I have a problem assessing him and his place int he game. One thing is for sure though, and before any steroid suspicions, he had great power and the best eye in the game.
I can be forgetful, so if you think I am missing someone, don't be shy.
STKAFI
Showing posts with label arod. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arod. Show all posts
Monday, June 4, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Week in Review
One week is in the books (well for most teams, I would not want to be a Cleveland Indians fan right now) for the MLB regular season. We have seen some surprises, some disappointments, and even some dramatics, in what has been a wild and crazy opening week.
Lets start with the Cleveland/Seattle series, which was completely wiped out because of snow. Now the Indians next series with the Angles has been moved to Milwaukee's Miller Park. This essentially has taken three home games away for the Indians, and at the very least postponed three more. This has brought up a debate that hasn't really come into play, at least taken this seriously, for the history of Major League Baseball: Should cold weather teams host early April home games? Frankly, I'm not sure which side of the fence I am on. The fact that this has not really been that big of an issue in the past say, 100 years leads me to believe that it should not be changed or addressed. However, I do realize this does cause a problem for fans, and can lead to early season injuries for players.
If I had to choose, I believe the players, fans, coaches, umpires, and executives should suck it up, and play as long as the weather permits. Obviously, this weekend's snow was unplayable, but for the most part this is very rare. Weather effects outdoor sports all the time, why should the MLB be any different?
I find it amazing how one swing of the bat can change a players game and mental state. The same can be said for the fans and the media. On Saturday afternoon, Alex Rodriguez did just that by CRUSHING a walk off grand slam, down one, with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth on a 1-2 count. You could feel for him, you knew he was going to choke. Against Tampa Bay less than two days before Arod was in an almost identical situation and in "typical" form failed to come through. He had even swung straight through a fastball the pitch before, the anticipation of boos and angered fans was palpable. Then with one pitch, one stroke of the bat all of that disappeared.
Of course, that being said, it's a week into the season, and obviously Arod will not be able to keep up this pace. However, with that one moment, he avoided the usual criticism, at least for now, and it looks like he could have a monster year and help lead the struggling Yankees to the playoffs.
Overpaid pitchers market: Dice-K (6 years, $52 million, + the $51.1 million posting fee) looked great, no real surprise there. Barry Zito (7 years, $126 million), not so much.
Dice-K (1-0): 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1BB, 10K, 1.29 ERA
Zito (0-2): 11.0 IP, 13 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, 8.18 ERA...(Giants 1-6), yikes
Top 10 Power Rankings (through week 1):
1. LAA Angels (5-2): Strong pitching staff is only going to get stronger with the additions of Colon and Weaver down the road.
2. NY Mets (5-2): This line-up is very, very scary and Reyes is a special player. Starting pitching has been a nice surprise though, not sure if they can keep it up, let's hope they're aren't many Bingo games floating around Shea.
3. Atlanta Braves (5-1): Very impressive start, sweep of the Phils and taking 2 of three from the Mets. Starting pitching still a concern (what a surprise Hampton is out for the year). Bullpen is phenomenal, and if Kelly Johnson can start to get on base they will score a lot of runs.
4. NY Yankees (3-3): Starters have been horrendous, yet the Yanks still managed to squeak out 3 wins. The pitching will come around and this line-up is the best in the majors.
5. Boston Red Sox (3-3): If Dice-K can continue his strong start, they will make a push for the AL East Title.
6. Florida Marlins (5-2): Miguel Cabrera is the very early NL MVP and putting up fantastic numbers (he will be getting Pujols and Bonds treatment by the All-Star break). Still very young. Hanley Ramirez needs to stay healthy, he is exciting to watch.
7 Arizona Diamondbacks (6-2): Strong pitching (Randy Johnson to still to come), clutch hitting, but they play in the NL West.
8. Minnesota Twins (4-2): Mauer, Cuddyer, and Morneau are one of the better 3-4-5 combo's in the game. And they have the best starter (Santana) and closer (Nathan) in the MLB today.
9. Detroit Tigers (3-3): The defending AL champs are off to a somewhat slow start, but still have the line-up and the young fireballers to still be one of the favorites to come out of the AL.
10. Toronto Blue Jays (4-2): I liked this team at the beginning of the year, but playing in the AL East its impossible to pick them to finish anything above third. Pitching has been inconsistent, but could make a serious run if Burnett can pitch consistently like he did last night. Haven't played anyone yet or I would have put them higher.
Teams to watch for: San Diego Padres (5-2): Strong pitching, but again, NL West. Cleveland Indians (2-1): Like the squad as a whole, bullpen questions plus they literally haven't played anybody. Pittsburgh Pirates (4-3): In a wide open division, and I like their young line-up.
Disappointments: SF Giants (1-6): Zito signing is looking worse and worse every game. Philadelphia Phillies (1-6): Jimmy Rollins might want to think about taking the foot out of his mouth. The offense is no where to be found. Charlie Manuel may be looking for a new job sooner than later if this keeps up. St. Louis Cardinals (3-4): Defending World Champs were swept by the Mets at home, and now their star pitcher has landed on the DL. I can see myself taking shots with Tony LaRussa in the near future.
One comment on the Masters:
Ballsy performance by Zach Johnson by holding off Tiger. It was half Johnson playing well enough to win and not falling apart. Half Tiger not being on his game and unable to make a serious run at the green jacket.
And I didn't see this shot until after the tournament, but are you kidding me??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGfDk1Oxj_A
How did he not break his wrist? How did he even come up with a shot like that? And how did the result of the shot end up as good as it was? He knew the risks of the shot, he knew he wouldn't be able to replace the club for the rest of the round, and he KNEW what he was doing. This is why you love to root for Tiger.
Lets start with the Cleveland/Seattle series, which was completely wiped out because of snow. Now the Indians next series with the Angles has been moved to Milwaukee's Miller Park. This essentially has taken three home games away for the Indians, and at the very least postponed three more. This has brought up a debate that hasn't really come into play, at least taken this seriously, for the history of Major League Baseball: Should cold weather teams host early April home games? Frankly, I'm not sure which side of the fence I am on. The fact that this has not really been that big of an issue in the past say, 100 years leads me to believe that it should not be changed or addressed. However, I do realize this does cause a problem for fans, and can lead to early season injuries for players.
If I had to choose, I believe the players, fans, coaches, umpires, and executives should suck it up, and play as long as the weather permits. Obviously, this weekend's snow was unplayable, but for the most part this is very rare. Weather effects outdoor sports all the time, why should the MLB be any different?
I find it amazing how one swing of the bat can change a players game and mental state. The same can be said for the fans and the media. On Saturday afternoon, Alex Rodriguez did just that by CRUSHING a walk off grand slam, down one, with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth on a 1-2 count. You could feel for him, you knew he was going to choke. Against Tampa Bay less than two days before Arod was in an almost identical situation and in "typical" form failed to come through. He had even swung straight through a fastball the pitch before, the anticipation of boos and angered fans was palpable. Then with one pitch, one stroke of the bat all of that disappeared.
Of course, that being said, it's a week into the season, and obviously Arod will not be able to keep up this pace. However, with that one moment, he avoided the usual criticism, at least for now, and it looks like he could have a monster year and help lead the struggling Yankees to the playoffs.
Overpaid pitchers market: Dice-K (6 years, $52 million, + the $51.1 million posting fee) looked great, no real surprise there. Barry Zito (7 years, $126 million), not so much.
Dice-K (1-0): 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1BB, 10K, 1.29 ERA
Zito (0-2): 11.0 IP, 13 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, 8.18 ERA...(Giants 1-6), yikes
Top 10 Power Rankings (through week 1):
1. LAA Angels (5-2): Strong pitching staff is only going to get stronger with the additions of Colon and Weaver down the road.
2. NY Mets (5-2): This line-up is very, very scary and Reyes is a special player. Starting pitching has been a nice surprise though, not sure if they can keep it up, let's hope they're aren't many Bingo games floating around Shea.
3. Atlanta Braves (5-1): Very impressive start, sweep of the Phils and taking 2 of three from the Mets. Starting pitching still a concern (what a surprise Hampton is out for the year). Bullpen is phenomenal, and if Kelly Johnson can start to get on base they will score a lot of runs.
4. NY Yankees (3-3): Starters have been horrendous, yet the Yanks still managed to squeak out 3 wins. The pitching will come around and this line-up is the best in the majors.
5. Boston Red Sox (3-3): If Dice-K can continue his strong start, they will make a push for the AL East Title.
6. Florida Marlins (5-2): Miguel Cabrera is the very early NL MVP and putting up fantastic numbers (he will be getting Pujols and Bonds treatment by the All-Star break). Still very young. Hanley Ramirez needs to stay healthy, he is exciting to watch.
7 Arizona Diamondbacks (6-2): Strong pitching (Randy Johnson to still to come), clutch hitting, but they play in the NL West.
8. Minnesota Twins (4-2): Mauer, Cuddyer, and Morneau are one of the better 3-4-5 combo's in the game. And they have the best starter (Santana) and closer (Nathan) in the MLB today.
9. Detroit Tigers (3-3): The defending AL champs are off to a somewhat slow start, but still have the line-up and the young fireballers to still be one of the favorites to come out of the AL.
10. Toronto Blue Jays (4-2): I liked this team at the beginning of the year, but playing in the AL East its impossible to pick them to finish anything above third. Pitching has been inconsistent, but could make a serious run if Burnett can pitch consistently like he did last night. Haven't played anyone yet or I would have put them higher.
Teams to watch for: San Diego Padres (5-2): Strong pitching, but again, NL West. Cleveland Indians (2-1): Like the squad as a whole, bullpen questions plus they literally haven't played anybody. Pittsburgh Pirates (4-3): In a wide open division, and I like their young line-up.
Disappointments: SF Giants (1-6): Zito signing is looking worse and worse every game. Philadelphia Phillies (1-6): Jimmy Rollins might want to think about taking the foot out of his mouth. The offense is no where to be found. Charlie Manuel may be looking for a new job sooner than later if this keeps up. St. Louis Cardinals (3-4): Defending World Champs were swept by the Mets at home, and now their star pitcher has landed on the DL. I can see myself taking shots with Tony LaRussa in the near future.
One comment on the Masters:
Ballsy performance by Zach Johnson by holding off Tiger. It was half Johnson playing well enough to win and not falling apart. Half Tiger not being on his game and unable to make a serious run at the green jacket.
And I didn't see this shot until after the tournament, but are you kidding me??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGfDk1Oxj_A
How did he not break his wrist? How did he even come up with a shot like that? And how did the result of the shot end up as good as it was? He knew the risks of the shot, he knew he wouldn't be able to replace the club for the rest of the round, and he KNEW what he was doing. This is why you love to root for Tiger.
Monday, April 2, 2007
One Shining Moment
Well, let's just say I had a post with full predictions for the Final 4 all set to go on Friday but I never got around to posting it up. And to make it worse, all of my predictions were dead wrong. I went on and on about Georgetown's offense and UCLA's perimeter play. Well Georgetown's offense was alright, but the point guard play of Mike Conley was terrific. I know that Greg Oden's simply being on the floor is so important to the Buckeyes, but does anyone doubt that Conley is the MVP of this team. He creates so many open looks for his teammates and most importantly, he always seems to be the one with the ball when the shot clock is winding down and a play needs to be made. I'd love to see him stick around for another year or two and finally escape Oden's shadow. By the way, if Oden spread his legs on that dunk attempt when Green tried to take that charge, I think we would have seen VC over Fred Weis II. He makes about 5-10 plays every game that makes me turn to whoever's next to me and say, he's the #1 pick without a doubt.
The Gators looked great. I didn't think that their perimeter guys would be able to handle UCLA's pressure as well as they did. For the first 10 minutes or so, it seemed like they were adjusting. Then Brewer made a couple big 3s and forced UCLA to stretch the defense a little bit opening up the inside for Noah, Horford, and Richard. If Florida's guards perform like that tonight, I can't see them losing.
As for my prediction, I'm rooting for The Ohio State University, but I can't see them beating Florida after the way they played on Saturday. I think Florida is just the better team with the better coach. Then again, I do think Ohio St will have the 2 best players on the floor, but then Florida has numbers 3-7. I think Ohio St. should try and go big to keep Oden from having to contend with Noah and Horford by himself and limit him from foul trouble. Oden should stay away from Noah when on defense as he can be very active on offensive end and might lead to cheap fouls for the big man. Oden should guard Richard whenever he's in the game so that he can concentrate on coming over on the weakside whenever Noah and Horford make a move toward the basket.
Florida needs to continue to shoot well from the perimeter. As long Humphrey, Green and Brewer are knocking down shots, they're close to unbeatable. This strategy is contrary what many coaches usually teach about attacking inside first to open up the outside shots, but with a team like Florida with 2 of the top 5 big men in America, teams will consistently double down and sag to help. By hitting a couple of deep shots early, OSU will be forced to stretch it's defense and leave Oden by himself under the basket as a one man help. This can work against teams with only one big man, but with a team that has Horford and Noah, its a recipe for disaster.
Prediction: Fla. 81 OSU 74
And I can't wait for One Shining Moment. For anyone who loves college basketball or even anyone that has a soul, this has to be the best part of the college basketball year. I'm a huge geek about it and I actually got a tape with every single One Shining Moment from when it started back I believe in 1985 until 2005. Then I proceeded to record last year's to the tape and fully plan on doing it again this year. And once again, yes I'm a geek.
I despise Alex Rodriguez.
The Gators looked great. I didn't think that their perimeter guys would be able to handle UCLA's pressure as well as they did. For the first 10 minutes or so, it seemed like they were adjusting. Then Brewer made a couple big 3s and forced UCLA to stretch the defense a little bit opening up the inside for Noah, Horford, and Richard. If Florida's guards perform like that tonight, I can't see them losing.
As for my prediction, I'm rooting for The Ohio State University, but I can't see them beating Florida after the way they played on Saturday. I think Florida is just the better team with the better coach. Then again, I do think Ohio St will have the 2 best players on the floor, but then Florida has numbers 3-7. I think Ohio St. should try and go big to keep Oden from having to contend with Noah and Horford by himself and limit him from foul trouble. Oden should stay away from Noah when on defense as he can be very active on offensive end and might lead to cheap fouls for the big man. Oden should guard Richard whenever he's in the game so that he can concentrate on coming over on the weakside whenever Noah and Horford make a move toward the basket.
Florida needs to continue to shoot well from the perimeter. As long Humphrey, Green and Brewer are knocking down shots, they're close to unbeatable. This strategy is contrary what many coaches usually teach about attacking inside first to open up the outside shots, but with a team like Florida with 2 of the top 5 big men in America, teams will consistently double down and sag to help. By hitting a couple of deep shots early, OSU will be forced to stretch it's defense and leave Oden by himself under the basket as a one man help. This can work against teams with only one big man, but with a team that has Horford and Noah, its a recipe for disaster.
Prediction: Fla. 81 OSU 74
And I can't wait for One Shining Moment. For anyone who loves college basketball or even anyone that has a soul, this has to be the best part of the college basketball year. I'm a huge geek about it and I actually got a tape with every single One Shining Moment from when it started back I believe in 1985 until 2005. Then I proceeded to record last year's to the tape and fully plan on doing it again this year. And once again, yes I'm a geek.
I despise Alex Rodriguez.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
A-Rod's Revenge
This will be my last post before the Cards and Mets open up the season on Sunday so I figure a predictions column is appropriate
I just wrote for 20 minutes going through the division but I got bored by my own column so I'm going to start over
In no particular order I will go through my thoughts on this upcoming season
Arod will respond like the great ones do. This is his make or break season in NY, between his contract options and his relationship with the Media and Fans. I foresee MVP like numbers from him, I think he answers the critics, answers his post season demons and finally wins a title
I think the Tigers magic runs out and the Twins win that division going away. Morneau and Mauer will only get better, and there is no reason to believe that Santana will slow down. If only Liriano wasn't out for the year, this would be a no brainer.
Mike Piazza makes Billy Beane look good and hits and hits all season long. Without having to crouch behind the plate, he adds depth to that A's lineup and hits 30 HR's +
I see the Mets struggling this year. I'm not saying they won't make the playoffs, but they rolled over the National League a year ago. Alou and Green are guarantees to spend time on the DL. Their pitching could not be more fragile right now then it already is. El Duque cannot be expected to pitch a full season. I expect Pedro to comeback earlier then expected. My trustee colleague says August at the earliest, I'm going to with right around the All Star break.
How bout Bonds??? He's had a good spring, he has to be immune to steroids talk by now. I think he'll get his record and retire at season's end. Giants are going nowhere, and if he does not retire, he will not play for a different team next year.
Dice-K will be the real deal and I'm interested to see where he goes in this Friday's fantasy draft. We know those Boston guys are going to jump on him early.
AL MVP:
Vernon Wells (sleeper pick Vlad-i know not a real sleeper, but he barely gets mentioned anymore)
AL CY Young: (sleeper pick Dice-K)
Santana
NL MVP: (sleeper pick Jose Reyes)
Soriano
NL Cy Young: (sleeper pick Ben Sheets)
Zambrano
I almost went with the double-double Wells-Halladay, Soriano-Zambrano... but since four #1's still can't make it to the Final Four, i can't boldly predict a double-double
I dont know if they are considered rookies (one def is), but Delmon Young and Alex Gordon will make splashes in their first full seasons
Can anyone else still not get over Gil Meche getting $55 million dollars?!?!?!?
Will King Felix finally get it? I dont know but until he does I think we should reserve that nickname for King James over in Cleveland.
Speaking of the King... check out the new house he is building http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/basketball/nba/03/27/bc.bkn.lebron.shouse.ap/index.html?cnn=yes
NCAA:
Florida over UCLA
Georgetown over OSU
Florida repeats!
Better backdoor offense Georgetown or Union? Give me those Dutchmen
Who do I want taking the last shot... Lewis or Afflalo.... I'm taking Lewis
Running my team... Give me Conley over Collison
Coaching my team... In this order... Donovan, Howland, JT3, Motta (no disrespect to any of the 4 here)
Best game remaining... OSU-GTOWN
Did I mention UNC cost me $1000???
KNICKS ARE DEAD IN THE WATER, I WILL NOT MENTION THEM IN ANY POST UNTIL THIS SEASON IS OVER (unless they make the playoffs)
I just wrote for 20 minutes going through the division but I got bored by my own column so I'm going to start over
In no particular order I will go through my thoughts on this upcoming season
Arod will respond like the great ones do. This is his make or break season in NY, between his contract options and his relationship with the Media and Fans. I foresee MVP like numbers from him, I think he answers the critics, answers his post season demons and finally wins a title
I think the Tigers magic runs out and the Twins win that division going away. Morneau and Mauer will only get better, and there is no reason to believe that Santana will slow down. If only Liriano wasn't out for the year, this would be a no brainer.
Mike Piazza makes Billy Beane look good and hits and hits all season long. Without having to crouch behind the plate, he adds depth to that A's lineup and hits 30 HR's +
I see the Mets struggling this year. I'm not saying they won't make the playoffs, but they rolled over the National League a year ago. Alou and Green are guarantees to spend time on the DL. Their pitching could not be more fragile right now then it already is. El Duque cannot be expected to pitch a full season. I expect Pedro to comeback earlier then expected. My trustee colleague says August at the earliest, I'm going to with right around the All Star break.
How bout Bonds??? He's had a good spring, he has to be immune to steroids talk by now. I think he'll get his record and retire at season's end. Giants are going nowhere, and if he does not retire, he will not play for a different team next year.
Dice-K will be the real deal and I'm interested to see where he goes in this Friday's fantasy draft. We know those Boston guys are going to jump on him early.
AL MVP:
Vernon Wells (sleeper pick Vlad-i know not a real sleeper, but he barely gets mentioned anymore)
AL CY Young: (sleeper pick Dice-K)
Santana
NL MVP: (sleeper pick Jose Reyes)
Soriano
NL Cy Young: (sleeper pick Ben Sheets)
Zambrano
I almost went with the double-double Wells-Halladay, Soriano-Zambrano... but since four #1's still can't make it to the Final Four, i can't boldly predict a double-double
I dont know if they are considered rookies (one def is), but Delmon Young and Alex Gordon will make splashes in their first full seasons
Can anyone else still not get over Gil Meche getting $55 million dollars?!?!?!?
Will King Felix finally get it? I dont know but until he does I think we should reserve that nickname for King James over in Cleveland.
Speaking of the King... check out the new house he is building http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/basketball/nba/03/27/bc.bkn.lebron.shouse.ap/index.html?cnn=yes
NCAA:
Florida over UCLA
Georgetown over OSU
Florida repeats!
Better backdoor offense Georgetown or Union? Give me those Dutchmen
Who do I want taking the last shot... Lewis or Afflalo.... I'm taking Lewis
Running my team... Give me Conley over Collison
Coaching my team... In this order... Donovan, Howland, JT3, Motta (no disrespect to any of the 4 here)
Best game remaining... OSU-GTOWN
Did I mention UNC cost me $1000???
KNICKS ARE DEAD IN THE WATER, I WILL NOT MENTION THEM IN ANY POST UNTIL THIS SEASON IS OVER (unless they make the playoffs)
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