Dropped Third Strike

IMHO - 10.5.08

What a week - not only did the Mets miss the playoffs, but the two teams that caused this are playing each other, so one of them will get to move on.

The Cubs, however, will not get to move on. I feel badly for Cubs fans (at least they made the playoffs...), but I don't care that they have waiting 100 years. I have not been alive for most of those 100 years, as is the case with the vast majority of the Cubs fans, so lets stop using that battle cry. I thought this might be the year though, they just ran into a Dodgers team that played very well.

I am sorry to see that the Phillies moved on - I was hoping for a humiliating defeat. Maybe the Dodgers can do this. The Dodgers have been good - Manny has been huge, and Joe Torre is one of the best. What if the Dodgers played the Red Sox in the World Series. That would be some story line - Manny coming back to Fenway, and Joe Torre vs. the Sox yet again. This won't happen though, I think the Rays will come out of the A.L.

Good for Joe Torre, finding success in L.A. It goes to show you, he wasn't the problem in NY, it was everyone else. I wonder how the view is from third place.

It's not fair, I have been to Rays games when there were 7000 fans in attendance. They become successful, and I lose a lottery to get tickets to a playoff game. Meanwhile, the other winners are selling them on Ebay. Oh well, at least a soda doesn't cost $5 when I watch the game at home.

IMHO - 9.7.08

I am excited to see two Mets-Phillies games today - they are always fun to watch. This is probably a make-or-break situation for the Phillies. If the Mets win two today, they will have ended the last head-to-head match-up up four games with only a couple of weeks left. Now, I know what you are thinking - the whole 7 back with 17 left last year, but this is a different Mets team. Last year, they started strong and fizzled for the entire second half. This year, the Mets have been playing well for a couple of months, and just finished a dominant sweep of the Brewers. They are playing great baseball, and besides, the Mets spend the next two weeks playing the Nationals and Braves... The Phillies need to make a move today.

I cannot believe the Marlins played a game this week with something like 600 fans in the stands - absolutely pathetic. Fans only get part of the blame though, maybe if the management were more committed to winning, fans would actually care. Instead, the will sell off parts to other teams this off-season. The Marlins are the junk yard for Major League Baseball.

K-Rod should not be considered for the Cy Young or MVP.

The Mets have three legitimate MVP candidates - Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Carlos Delgado. I hope that the fact their are three doesn't prevent one of them from getting it. The Mets have been waiting a long time for an MVP. Jose Reyes seems the most likely - the Mets have scored more runs in the first inning than any other MLB team by far - Jose Reyes has scored many of those. He is also among the league leaders in many categories.

Cliff Lee should win the Cy Young in the AL. I guess Brandon Webb in the NL...

Watch out - the Dodgers are now in first place. The have been my pick all year.

As a Mets fan, I would like to thank Omar Minaya again for not making any stupid moves at the trade
deadline. Just pick up a couple of pitchers this winter.

David Murphy is going to learn to play second base. Anyone need a vastly-overpaid second baseman with bad knees (Luis Castillo).

That's all.

No-hitter for CC? Who Cares?

CC Sabathia has dominated in the National League since being traded from the Indians, and yesterday was no exception. The combination of his excellent pitching and a very weak Pittsburgh lineup led to a complete-game shutout. The only hit allowed was a slow-rolling ground ball, that was not fielded cleanly by Mr. Sabathia. The scorer ruled it a hit, while the Brewers dugout ruled it an error. It's too bad the only opinion that counts is the official scorer...

Milwaukee has appealed the call to MLB, hoping for the call to overturned, and a no-hitter awarded to Sabathia. Does it really matter? This is a complete waste of time and money - it is still a Milwaukee win, and a shutout for the pitcher. While a nice accomplishment, I just don't think no-hitters are as big a deal as they are made out to be. A guy can give up no hits, but walk 4, 5, or more batters. There have been no-hitters where the pitcher has still given up runs. What good is that? How about a no-hitter where where the pitcher only strikes out two batters? That means 25 batters put the ball in play - the fielders just happen to be in the right place at the right time. Dock Ellis once no-hit the Padres while walking 8 and hitting a batter. No one got a hit because there weren't many pitches they could hit. Andy Hawkins pitched a no-hitter in 1990, and lost the game (it was before the rules change, now if the pitcher loses, it is not an official no-hitter).

A no-hitter depends too much on people other than the pitcher: the official scorer (as seen yesterday), the team's defense (even if they don't make errors, some players can make more plays, and take hits away. I would rather have a ball hit to Carlos Beltran than Manny Ramirez), the other team's lineup (hmmm, the pirates??), and the catcher calling the game.

Personally, I am not sure if it was a hit or not - but I could care less. This isn't the norm though, the web is already filled with some very colorful reactions to this. It would be one thing if an outfielder dropped the ball, but it was CC!! Ultimately, it was his mishandling of the ball that cost him the highly-overrated no-hitter, not the scorer.

What do you think? Leave us your comments.

Man-up Prince

Prince Fielder is sorry for pushing Manny Parra the other night.

Oh, well thank you Prince. Unfortunately adults in the real world can't go around shoving other people every time they get a little cranky. Fortunately for you, baseball doesn't operate with real-world standards.

If I went to work tomorrow, and put my hands on one of my co-workers, I would be fired. I am not surprised, but a little disappointed by the reaction of the Brewers, Ned Yost, and the media in general by general perception that it is okay for him to act like this. Why should he get special privileges, because he hits a few home runs?

He shoved the starting pitcher on a baseball team struggling to stay in the playoff picture? What if he injured him? What kind of moron hits a teammate, especially with how delicate starting pitchers are these days.

Kudos to the Carolina Panthers for suspending Steve Smith. It's too bad no one in the Milwaukee Brewers organization has the courage to do the same.

Hey Prince - I don't care that your sorry, sometimes sorry doesn't cut it.

National League Predictions - Mike's picks...

With a little more than two months remaining in the season, here are my picks for the National League:

N.L. East - New York Mets

Obviously the Mets are the strongest team in this division. For those of you who don't see them as the obvious choice, here are my reasons: First of all, they have the strongest pitching rotation in the East. Johan Santana has been very good this year, but has lacked run support. Oliver Perez and Mike Pelfrey have been really strong in July, and they are still getting better and more consistent. The offense has started to heat up too. It is true they were underachievers for most of the 1st half, but the production has been great as of late. Carlos Delgado will be the difference maker. Look for the Mets to put some distance between them and the rest of the division in August. Their biggest weakness is the bullpen, they are too inconsistent. I think Jerry Manuel should let his starters go a little deeper into games to take some pressure off of the bullpen.

Longshots - Marlins and Phillies - The Marlins can't pitch and I hate the Phillies.

By the way - the Atlanta Braves are pathetic. They were waiting to decide whether they were buyers or sellers. You've got to be kidding me, did anyone besides them and their fans think they were still in this?

N.L. Central - Milwaukee Brewers

C.C. Sabathia is a great rental. It would be sad if they didn't win with him, because this is their only chance. The Cubs have a good team, but will blow it because they are the Cubs.

N.L. West - Los Angeles Dodgers

Isn't it a shame that every division has to be represented?? Almost every team in the A.L. East would be in first place in the N.L. West. I guess someone in the West has to win it, and at least Joe Torre knows how to win (at least in the regular season).

Wild Card - Chicago Cubs

Well, we can forget about anyone in the West. The Marlins don't have the pitching, and I hate the Phillies.

National League Champs - New York Mets

Well there are my picks - no bias at all.

What do you think? Leave me a comment.