Just for Sport

Hank Steinbrenner, or, as he will be henceforth known on this blog, The One Who Vomits Words, apparently doesn’t understand that baseball is a game of tradition.  Concerning the Designated Hitter, or, as it will henceforth be known on this blog, Bud Selig’s First Abomination, he said the following on Monday:

"…it’s about time they address it. That was a rule from the 1800s."

Are you kidding me?  The Designated Hitter has bastardized the game for 8/15 of Major League clubs since 1972, and now TOWVW wants to ruin it for the rest of us.  I am out of town for the week and am not even supposed to be using a computer, but look for a post coming soon concerning the DH.

Last night we were all graced with one of the great football games in recent memory.  It surely goes down as one of the greatest games I’ve ever seen.  If I had to choose the five greatest games in all sports in the last ten years without spending a bunch of time thinking about it or researching, they would go as follows:

5 - 2007 Fiesta Bowl, Boise State over Oklahoma, 43-42 (OT).  This makes the list for me because (A) I hate Oklahoma - see sidebar, (B) Nobody thought Boise State would stick it to OU for three and half quarters, much less pull the upset, and (C) Those last couple of plays - The Hook and Lateral and The Statue of Liberty.  Instant classic.

4 - Super Bowl XLII, New York Giants over New England, 17-14.  Not many people predicted a low-scoring game, much less a close one.  The three lead changes in the 4th quarter plus Eli Manning’s escape/David Tyree’s catch (Do we have a name for that yet?) made it a great game anyway.  The storyline behind the game (destroying the perfect season, etc.) put it on the list.

3 - 2004 AL Championship Series, Games 4 & 5, Boston over New York.  Game 4: 6-4 (12 innings).  Game 5: 5-4 (14 innings).  I think it’s fair to lump these two together because it was really the series that was impressive.  Also, Game 5 started 16 hours after Game 4 ended.  These games were great not only because nobody had ever come back from a 3-0 deficit before, but because the Yankees had so thoroughly dominated the series up until that point.  The way they won those games was just fantastic.

2 - 2006 Rose Bowl, Texas over USC, 41-38.  This one was just like last night’s game, except with 4 times the scoring.  USC were the overwhelming favorites, and Texas overcame the odds in the Championship Game, with Vince Young scoring the winning touchdown on 4th down.

1 - 1998 NBA Finals, Game 6, Chicago over Utah, 87-86. Michael Jordan hits "The Shot" (Does that play have a name?  What is it?) in his last game in a Bulls uniform to cap off a 45-point performance and the Bulls 6th Championship.

There are some others that perhaps mean more to me than the greater sports world:

1999 Stanley Cup Finals, Game 6, Dallas over Buffalo, 2-1 (Triple OT).  Creasegate.  Modano plays 55 minutes with a cast on his arm.

June 29, 2007, Chicago Cubs over Milwaukee, 6-5.  The Cubs rally from a 5-0 deficit to win on Aramis’ walkoff home run.  This game also turned the tide in the division race.

2007 NL Wild Card Tiebreaker Game, Colorado over San Diego, 9-8 (13 innings).  This was a great game even before the 13th inning.  Plenty of offense early, followed by dominant pitching and stellar defense.  There was a grand slam and a killer error that allowed the game to go into extras in the first place.  The Padres got 2 in the 13th, and the game was thought over.  But the Cinderella Rockies beat the odds and killed Trevor Hoffman.  The play at the plate, which is consistently the best play in sports, capped it all off. 

2006 NL Championship, Game 6, Florida over Chicago Cubs, 8-3.  I hate this game, but for the Marlins, this was a GREAT game.  Cubs fans, please don’t blame Bartman.  Blame Baker.

2007 AFC Championship Game, Indianapolis over New England, 38-34.  If this game was the Super Bowl, it might have made the list.  The Colts looked dead in the water, behind 21-3, then rallied to beat the team that had been keeping them down in dramatic fashion.

Feel free to disagree or suggest some other games. 

I’m too dumb to embed YouTube videos, so here’s a couple of links:

Great Play

Best Commercial 

The following two things come from the Beating a Dead Horse Department:

1 - Someone in the national media has finally woken up. Wait - Reggie Bush isn’t Michael Jordan? But he did so well against Fresno State and Arizona State…it was supposed to be a sure thing!

2 - The Red Sox have officially become the Yankees. Boston and New York should join together and form a super-team, so they can be the first ones to pay $85 million dollars to some 13 year-old in Belgium for exclusive draft rights in 2013.

The common link between the two issues I find myself writing about most often? You got it…sports teams and sportswriters overrate potential. I blame it on Lebron James, the one athlete of this generation to even come close to living up to the hype. The very moment he scored 25 points in his rookie debut, we should have seen it coming. All of a sudden everybody wants to jump on the next big athlete’s bandwagon. For as long as it’s been around, ESPN the Magazine has published an annual “Next” magazine, where a large majority of the ink is spent projecting which high schooler will be the next Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, or Albert Einstein. It had just gotten to be ridiculous when they got Lebron right, so it made sense that that would start a feeding frenzy. And this is what it has led to…Large-market teams willing to pay over $50 million dollars just to talk to somebody (By the way, this money doesn’t count toward the luxury tax, does it? Try to tell me that the Shared Revenue/Luxury Tax system works now…) and entire professional teams are ostracized in the media for picking the “wrong” player before a snap is even played. Five or so years ago, Tank McNamara spoofed the whole idea with a strip that portrayed a major shoe company executive approaching a pregnant woman with a large shoe contract for her unborn son. At the time, it seemed ridiculous. Now, the “experts” seem to be capable of determining how well a 14 year-old will perform in the professional sports arena with no room for error. Signing a fetus to a shoe contract now would seem to be prudent, as the young man’s stock can only rise. Get them while they’re cheap! It can only get worse if Reggie Bush can somehow right the ship and Daisuke Matsuzaka’s gyroball is all Peter Gammons says it is. I’m personally rooting that they do, so that my wife and I can sign that Adidas contract in a couple of years.

Let’s dispense with the pleasantries; on to the predictions.

American League

Both of my AL picks are gone, including my World Series pick. This is a curse, in that I was wrong, but it is also a blessing, because I get to start over. So what did we learn from the ALDS’s (What’s the correct grammar here?)? I’ve got 5 observations:

1 – Minnesota and Oakland both have horrible stadiums. Both teams share with their respective football team, which is good for neither sport. The Metrodome is much more adaptable than McAfee Stadium at masking that fact, except for the walls that are made out of blue Saran Wrap. By contrast, the Tigers and the Yankees showdown featured two excellent stadiums.

2 – A-Rod was horrible, but so was the rest of the Yankee line-up, a fact which has left many questioning the leadership of the team. Many are pointing to Torre, but I think the responsibility falls on Derek Jeter. Maybe at one point, he was a good captain, but now I see him as a guy who thinks he’s untouchable by the media – and unfortunately, he is. He’s had a nonchalant attitude throughout the postseason, as if there’s nothing to worry about until the World Series. Just because you’re the Yankees doesn’t mean you get a free pass through the playoffs.

3 – Jeremy Bonderman was amazing in a pennant-clinching win for the Detroit Tigers. I never, ever thought I would write that sentence. You think it’s easy to predict what’s going to happen in a 162-game season and subsequent playoffs? That’s why you play the games.

4 – Moneyball finally won something. Actually, Frank Thomas, who is the anti-Moneyball, won something for an otherwise mediocre team. Billy Beane should send the White Sox a thank you card for treating Thomas like crap.

5 – I really should have paid attention to the abominable finish the Twins had to the regular season. I didn’t put much stock into the momentum factor when I made my prediction, a cardinal sin. It turns out that getting swept by the Devil Rays at the end of the season means you will probably get swept by a playoff team next. By the way, have you ever seen a more sorrowful home run trot than Justin Morneau’s in the 9th inning of Game 3? What a shame for him to make that error after an MVP type season.

So who advances to the World Series? It’s easy to justify either team. The Athletics were able to defeat Santana, the proven veteran, and Liriano, the rookie phenom, so why couldn’t they also beat Rogers and Verlander? On the other hand, the Tigers pitching shut down what many were calling “the greatest lineup ever assembled” rather handily. I believe the Tigers advance because of five (really four) factors: (1) Jim Leyland. (2) Curtis Granderson. (3) Comerica Park vs. McAfee Stadium. (4) A’s lack of a third pitcher.

National League

My two teams advanced, so I suppose that I am bound by my previous picks. This isn’t such a bad thing, but I’m a little uneasy. The Mets are still a very good team, but without Pedro, El Duque, and possibly now Cliff Floyd, it’s looking like the Cardinals might get a free pass. But first, what did we learn?

1 – Is there a bigger joke in the Major Leagues than the NL West? I was impressed that they got two teams into the postseason, but did either team have a shot? Neither one looked like they had played a big game all season long.

2 – Chris Young was the lone bright spot for the Padres, who really looked horrible against a team with no momentum. Young is going to win a Cy Young one day, especially if he can stay in San Diego and pitch at Petco Park.

3 – Speaking of individual performances, what about Albert Pujols? If he continues to put the Cardinals on his back and carry them through postseason after postseason, he will be considered one of the all-time greats.

4 – Every season, it seems that one team grabs the label of “Team of Destiny” and decides to own it. This season’s team is the Mets. Our pitchers are injured? We’ll just win. Everybody’s talking about the other team in our town? We’ll just win. Willie Randolph has this team playing to its full potential.

5 – Everybody on the Dodgers seemed to act like they didn’t belong in the playoffs. Even the fans had an air about them that said, “We really made it? What now?” There was one point in the last game when Grady Little went out to the mound, and the stadium went deathly silent. Everybody was waiting for something to get screwed up, and when you play afraid, you lose.

I picked the Mets, and I’m sticking to it. The Cardinals still have Pujols, but the Mets have a team, and that will be the difference. In my opinion, it’s not going to matter, since the National League is so much weaker than the American League on the whole. In the middle of the season, I decided that the Mets would be the only team that had a chance against an AL team. Once again, with their losses it won’t be a very competitive series. So you can see where my new World Series pick is going…Tigers over Mets. See you in a week or two.

It’s an amazing time for the sports fan. The NFL is at the quarter pole, hockey starts tomorrow, and the baseball playoffs get underway today. Also, there are several specific issues to address: Dusty Baker, Albert Haynesworth, and Tiger Woods. Did I mention that basketball’s not on the radar yet (and that’s a good thing)? I’m just kidding…sort of. I’ll try my best to have several posts over the next couple of days; lots of predictions, some recaps, and plenty of commentary. This post: MLB playoffs preview. I’ll look at the first round match-ups, and then predict winners all the way to the Series. I plan on posting between every round. Picks are in bold.

2006 First Round Match-ups

American League

Minnesota (96-66) vs. Oakland (93-69)

Let me put it simply: I’m not about to jump off the bandwagon that says that Oakland cannot win in the playoffs. They have no line-up, except for Frank Thomas, and one pitcher. Minnesota, on the other hand, is the hottest team in the league. They definitely have the pitching to get it done in the playoffs, they’re defensively sound, and they’re getting production from nearly every position.

Detroit (95-67) vs. New York (97-65)
Detroit had a very strong showing at the beginning of the season, but their recent slump hurts them. Additionally, their bullpen just won’t be enough. I’m not sold on Todd Jones. I just don’t think what the Tigers can come up with will be able to compete with the Yankees, who have few weaknesses. If a New York starter not named Wang can step up consistently and they get some help from the middle relief, it will be hard to stop them.

National League

San Diego (88-74) vs. St. Louis (83-78)
St. Louis comes into this thing in bad shape. They are reeling from that near-historic collapse, and their window of opportunity seems to be closing. This year’s surprise, San Diego, benefited from some strong trades this year, and that pitching staff could carry them. But, as long as St. Louis has Pujols, the window of opportunity is open. The Padre staff will have a lot to overcome here.

Los Angeles (88-74) vs. New York (97-65)
This is tough. The Mets blew away the rest of the National League this year, but news that Pedro’s out for the playoffs really hurts their chances. The Dodgers are riding a ton of second-half momentum and have tons of playoff experience. I feel like the winner of this series is going to take the pennant. In a short series, I’ll go with the talent.

Championship Series
AL
Minnesota over New York
NL
New York over St. Louis

World Series
Minnesota over New York

As the title might suggest, I hate getting wrapped up in all of the New York-Boston hoopla. Let’s face it - the rivalry is overrated, and while I have been well-documented in my hatred of the Yankees, I have never subscribed to the school that says if you hate the Yankees, you must cheer for the Sox. The Red Sox have turned into the Yankees, and I honestly don’t see how a card-carrying Yankee hater can root for them. Nevertheless, whenever the two teams get together, I generally root for the lesser of the two evils. Today, though, I’m (gasp) rooting for the Yankees.

Why? Because of David Freakin’ Ortiz. I’m sick of sportswriters (especially ones that write for a company based in New England) writing things like, “Anybody who’s watched a Red Sox game this year knows who the MVP is.” Let me tell you, watching Boston play doesn’t really define MVP for me, unless you’re talking about Jason Varitek, the one player who can spark that team. An MVP doesn’t throw his team under the bus by saying, “Come hit in this line-up and see what kind of numbers you get.” So the rest of the team doesn’t do it for you? What about Manny, your best friend, who has hit behind you all year? The Red Sox have such a ridiculous payroll; it’s absurd to insinuate that the rest of the line-up isn’t up to snuff. Maybe Ortiz should switch places with Jermaine Dye or Magglio Ordonez or Frank Thomas and see what his statistics look like. I know one statistic that would stay the same: .000, as in Fielding Percentage.

Any part-time player that would be rendered useless by switching leagues doesn’t even deserve consideration for Most Valuable Player. A player is only valuable as long as he is on the field. Anybody who takes the field helps his team for 27 outs, plus however many at-bats he gets, plus however many hits/walk the other team gets. If every team averages 9 hits/walks per game (a very conservative estimate), then a full-time player is on the field for 40 of the game’s 72 plate appearances. A DH is “on the field” (Consider this: if a designated hitter doesn’t reach base in a game, he will never have set foot inside the foul lines) for 4 of those 72 plate appearances.

Maybe David Ortiz should spend all the time he spends on the bench considering a different method for winning the MVP he apparently wants so much: stop complaining about reporters and other players and pick up your glove.

Note: This post originally appeared on April 6, 2005.

I hate the Yankees for the following reasons:

10. 1996 - The Yankees ruin the only legitimate shot the Rangers have ever had at a pennant in the Division Series by winning games 3-5. Texas’ bullpen is really to blame, but the thought still deepens my hatred for the Yankees.
9. Jason Giambi. Okay, he’s a great guy, but look at him. The entire man is artificial, and he shouldn’t be allowed to play.
8. Bud Selig. You know it’s a problem. SALARY CAP.
7. 1998 - Before steroid allegations, was widely considered the “magical summer” when McGwire and Sosa hit 70 and 66 home runs, respectively. Then the Yankees win the World Series and ruin it for everybody.
6. Grooming regulations. You’re telling me that to be “a Yankee kind of guy” you can’t have long hair or facial hair? They totally ruined Randy Johnson’s look.
5. Roger Maris. Actually, it’s not Maris, but the way the fans and the media treated him. It’s ironic that Billy Crystal, an avid Yankees fan, directed the movie 61*, because I don’t know how you can see that movie and cheer for New York.
4. Roger Clemens. Does anybody really think that it was okay for him to throw the bat at Mike Piazza - much less drill him in the head? There is no excuse.
3. Alex Rodriguez. He set the Rangers franchise back years by tying up contract and playing GM. The icing on the cake? “I feel like it’s me and 24 kids.” This guy has the biggest ego in the Major Leagues, and I wish someone would shut him up.
2. George Steinbrenner. Contrary to popular belief, he’s not that great of an owner. He just has money. Yeah, if I were friends with Donald Trump, I’d buy superstars too, and apparently that would make me a genius, especially if I run my organization like a fascist.
1. East-coast bias. I used to laugh in the face of people who claimed East-coast bias, but I watched Tony Kornheiser on PTI yesterday say that everybody in America should care about what goes on in New York because it’s more important than whatever else goes on in the country. NYC is great, but it is NOT the center of Western Civilization, or the United States for that matter. Personally, I hope that either the Yankees or the Red Sox drop off the face of the earth so we don’t have to put up with the ridiculous overstatement that has become the rivalry between these two teams. There are plenty of other just as legitimate rivalries in professional sports, and I’m tired of America being expected to pay attention to what goes on in New England. I will continue to cheer for the Red Sox and any other team who plays against the Yankees, but that is where my loyalty stops. Baseball needs a salary cap (to reduce the unfair advantage that each team - yes, the Red Sox too - has before the season even starts. Luxury taxes are not enough. Additionally, New Yorkers need to shut up. John Rocker may have been wrong about various minorities, but he was right about New York. I imagine that I may be persecuted for my beliefs, but I’m sick and tired of the Sox-Yanks thing. Both teams have engaged in childish rhetoric in the media, and the fans of each team boo so much that I can’t decide if they’re actually enjoying the game that they’re watching. I’m watching the game on ESPN right now, and Yankees fans just booed because Kevin Millar got injured and they stopped the game to look at him. Let’s be reasonable. Will I continue to watch the Red Sox and Yankees when they play? Probably. I like good baseball, and it would be foolish to admit that the two teams don’t have good games against each other. Just don’t expect me to rearrange my schedule to watch two teams that I don’t particularly care for. For today though, go Red Sox. Please beat the Yankees. It’s the right thing to do.