Can’t Say I Saw THAT Coming
Here’s to the highly unlikely in baseball: Bo Jackson’s dominance of two sports, Ken Caminiti’s addiction to cocaine (sadly ending in death), the Red Sox’s 2004 ALCS comeback against the Yankees, the Cubbies’ 100 year-long drought, the Mets’ 2007 collapse (paving way for the resurgence of the National League champion Colorado Rockies), and Clemens, McGwire, Sosa, & Bonds standing little chance to make the Hall of Fame collectively. These teams and individuals watched as irony and karma struck destiny and glory square in the nuts, showing that any and all is possible—and surely against what you initially intended (row-sham-bow, anyone?). Below are five more storylines to add to the mix, all of which will affect the state of our national pastime, for better or for worse. 
5. George Bush: The Next Commissioner of Baseball? Our nation’s 43rd leader, Mr. George W. Bush, will go down in history as America’s most disgraced commander-in-chief, whose last act in the Oval Office may involve pardoning a self-proclaimed criminal (see Marion Jones). Prior to his tremendously awful tenure in the White House, Bush served as an adequate ‘managing general partner’ of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, who, under his watch, brought a thrilling close to Nolan Ryan’s illustrious career. Speculation behind Bush’s potential as baseball’s leading man rose long before his stint as governor of Texas, as one-time commish Fay Vincent discussed the possibility of Bush serving as baseball commissioner in the 1990′s. Upon leaving the White House, baseball commissioner would be an ideal position for W (unfortunately, it is a dream that will be put on hold due to the extension of current commissioner Bud Selig’s contract). With Bush at the helm, who knows what would be in store for the game of baseball?
4. Mark Cuban: The Next Cubs Owner With July dwindling to a close, Mark Cuban, boisterous owner of the Dallas Mavericks and Internet tycoon, has made the final cut (out of three others) as potential principal owner of the Chicago Cubs, a franchise bolstered by fans in love with the North Side’s lovable losers. Imagine the Friendly Confines of Wrigley visited constantly by the NBA’s most raucous (and most fined) owner, whose antics often earns the ire of referees and fans alike? Imagine a franchise of tradition (Harry Caray, outfield ivy, the post-game Go Cubs Go sing-along, the raising of the white W flag after each Cubs win, and the 7th inning celebrity Take Me Out to the Ballgame rendition) suddenly infused with new, albeit ‘far-from-customary,’ blood? Say what you will about Cuban’s unorthodox ways (he, not his coaching staff, is often the one jeering at referees), Cuban has pumped enough money into the Mavericks to make them relevant again (they were a game removed from taking home the 2006 NBA championship after spending countless decades as the league’s doormat). It’s one thing to own an NBA franchise: it’s a whole other to man one of baseball’s most storied organizations. Mark Cuban may be the next man behind the curtain for Chicago.
3. Albert Pujols: Going Against Doctorly Advice….and Dominating Prior to the 2008 MLB season, Albert Pujols came face-to-face with a career-altering decision: would he forgo the 2008 campaign for surgery or play through unbearable pain in order to continue his monstrous career and, perhaps, put the Cardinals back in the playoffs? The scenario that medical experts conveyed was rather imposing: Pujols, by agreeing to play, would be one errant swing away from shredding, perhaps even separating, the tendon that holds the elbow joint intact. Second opinions further suggested that Pujols could play, although he would be beset by gut-wrenching anguish. Ever the fiery competitor, Pujols opted to play this season, a juncture that has the Cardinals within 6 games of the NL Central-leading Cubs, all thanks to Albert’s .353 average, 20 homeruns, and 60 RBI’s, including a recent dinger that bested the New York Mets in 14 innings (on Saturday, July 26th). Now that is baseball legacy in the making. 
2. Jeff Samardzija: The Cubs’ Next Big Thing Bo Jackson’s turn as a two-sport athlete was logical, when you consider Bo’s positions (running back for the Raiders and leftfield for the Royals) were dictated by his blazing speed. While contributing swimmingly in both sports, Jackson paved the way for the likes of Deion Sanders, who starred for the Atlanta Braves and Dallas Cowboys, among other NFL clubs. Unfortunately, Jackson endured a hip injury (later resulting in the condition avascular necrosis, which results in a shortening of the blood supply to the pelvic region) that abruptly ended his career in both sports. Enter Jeff Samardzija. In 2006, Jeff Samardzija helped deliver a 10-win season for Notre Dame, ending his career as an All-American wide receiver for the Fighting Irish. Due in part to Samardzija’s success, Brady Quinn became a top-20 NFL pick, the heir apparent to Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson. Many NFL analysts thought Samardzija was pegged for a spot on an NFL roster, seeing as how his footwork was complemented by a set of hands that could reel in any ball thrown his way. But there was the matter of Samardzija’s true passion: the sport of baseball. Putting a prestigious past behind him (Jeff holds multiple Notre Dame receiving records), Samardzija ended up signing a $16.5 million incentive-laden contract with the Cubs in 2007. Due to numerous circumstances (stellar Cubs closer Kerry Wood is on the disabled list with a sore blister and Carlos Marmol cannot get a handle on his location), Samardzija was called up to join the Cubs in their most recent series against the Marlins at Wrigley, a time when Jeff compiled his first major league save with an overpowering fastball and slider. Could this be the Cubs’ answer in the bullpen that deliv.bmp)
ers the Cubs their long-awaited World Series victory? Manager Lou Piniella and a legion of Cubs fans sure hope so.
1. Rick Ankiel: From Bust to Boom Ask your grandfather: what Rick Ankiel has accomplished has never happened in the history of the sport. At the age of 20, Ankiel began his career as a major league hurler, compiling an 11 – 7 record with a 3.50 ERA and 194 strikeouts, good for seventh in the league. Then came the 2000 playoffs. In spite of his outstanding stuff (Ankiel possessed a 97 MPH fastball and devastating curveball, both of which could deliver a strikeout), Ankiel faced the Atlanta Braves in the playoffs and threw seven wild pitches, five of which were hurled in one inning (the first time that had happened since 1890). From that day forward, he was never the same. The tumult continued in 2001, as Ankiel was sent down to AAA to work on his control. As fate would have it, Ankiel would never pitch in the majors again. By 2005, Ankiel opted for a drastic change to his career: he wished to channel Mickey Mantle, so as to become a power-hitting centerfielder. By 2007, Ankiel was called up by St. Louis in a late August call-up. His major league experience would continue through 2008, where he is hitting .278 with 22 homeruns and 56 RBI’s, wielding a glove that is worthy of best-in-the-league status. Human-growth-hormone controversy aside, Ankiel has proven his value in the mythology of treasured baseball lore.
Baseball’s Unbreakable Records
In a recent ESPN program entitled Unbreakable Records, Ozzie Smith, who won 13 consecutive Gold Gloves for masterfully manning the shortstop position for St. Louis (a feat that has not been accomplished by any position player), discussed the importance of ten remarkable feats achieved in baseball history by both team (the Yankees’ accumulation of five consecutive World Series from 1949 – 1953) and individual (Eric Gagne’s 84 save streak for the Los Angeles Dodgers). Prior to the show’s airing, 160+ managers, players, and coaches in Major League Baseball were polled to determine the five most arduous records to reach in all of baseball. Brought to you here is a personal re-working of this esteemed list.
5. Joe DiMaggio’s 56 Game Hitting Streak Pete Rose came the cl
osest to DiMaggio’s impressive mark, stringing together 44 consecutive games in which he was able to reach base via a hit (quite fitting, when you consider Joltin’ Joe beat out Wee Willie Keeler’s one-time record of 44-game streak of hitting safely). Upon going hitless in the 57th game of the streak, DiMaggio went on another 16-game hitting streak, which calculates to hitting safely in 72 of 73 games in 1941. During this season, perhaps DiMaggio’s best, the one-time Mr. Coffee would not win the MVP; that distinction was instead held by Ted Williams, holder of another outstanding record for the ages.
4. Ted Williams’s .406 Season Arguably the game’s greatest hitter (and the anti-thesis of quitting), the Splendid Splinter was going into the final day of the season having amassed a batting average of .3995, which would have effectively rounded up to .400, the first time the feat would be accomplished since 1930, when Bill Terry did so. Williams, as recommended by many Red Sox personnel, could have sat out the the doubleheader slated for that day in order to achieve this aforementioned exploit. Instead, Williams played both games, going 6 for 8, raising his collective batting average for the 1941 season to .406. Although George Brett and Tony Gwynn came awfully close, nobody has hit .400 since Williams accomplished the astounding deed in a year that would later live in infamy (the Pearl Harbor bombing would occur months after Williams’s greatest summer). As his career average would suggest (.344), Williams was the master of the art of stroking the baseball, a testament to his poise and uncanny sense for dominating opposing pitching like nobody else could.
3. Nolan Ryan’s Tandem: 5,714 Career Strikeouts and 7 No-Hitters Ryan’s efforts are ahead of DiMaggio’s and Teddy Ballgame’s for the sole reason that, in the modern era (post Bob Gibson, who compiled a a record 1.12 ERA in 1968), the game favors the hitters. When you consider (1) the mound has been lowered and (2) the fences have been pulled in through the construction/renovation of many contemporary ballparks, what Ryan did was extremely unfathomable. Randy Johnson most recently passed Roger Clemens on the all-time strikeout list, hoarding an upwards of 4,600 K’s. In order for the 44 year old Johnson to pass Ryan, he would have to average 300 strikeouts per season for the next three years (something he hasn’t done since 2002). What’s more impressive are the seven occasions in which opponents could not register a single hit off of Ryan, the latest of which came in 1991, his 25th season in the bigs. His 292 losses (to his 324 wins) are not indicative of his prowess; for instance, in 1987, Ryan led the league in ERA (2.76), but compiled a win-loss record of 8 – 16, suggesting that Ryan was often the victim of poor run-support. At times, Ryan has been criticized for being erratic (he once walked over 200 batters in his season; in fact, his wild ways earned him a one-way ticket out of New York and California), but his ability to embarrass hitters was truly tremendous.
2. Cal Ripken’s 2,632 Consecutive Games Played Streak Consider this for a moment: the most recent player to come close to Ripken’s streak since Cal broke Lou Gehrig’s old record was Miguel Tejada, who played in 1,151 games consecutively, some 1,500 games shy of the mark Cal ended up setting. For Ripken to shatter the Iron Horse’s record by some 500 games is a testament to Cal’s immense capacity to play through bangs and bruises that have made mortals of lesser players. Perhaps the game’s greatest shortstop of all-time, Ripken played the game with the ultimate sense of grit and determination that defined the outstanding ballplayer he was. For many, Cal was Mr. Baseball in Baltimore and beyond, the game’s truest ambassador whose place in Cooperstown was well-deserved (an honor held in the same year, 2006, by San Diego Padres great Tony Gwynn, the modern-day equivalent of Ted Williams, minus the power numbers).
1. Cy Young’s 511 Career Wins During a time when homeruns were as rare as blue moons in the night sky, Cy Young (for whom the award for the annual best pitcher in the National and American Leagues is named) did things as a pitcher that will NEVER be accomplished, namingly his 749 complete games (Roger Clemens’s 118 is nowhere near Young’s mark) and 815 starts in a career. Through the use of five-man rotations, bullpens, specialist pitchers, and closers, and the restriction of starts made by pitchers (hurlers may reach 35 starts tops in an injury-free season), Young’s feats have truly become a thing of the past, especially his career win total (guys like Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens, the best pitchers of the past twenty years, have only won 350 and 354 games respectively). Despite losing the most games in baseball history (316), Young’s standard for winning ballgames is the most unbreakable record in baseball. PERIOD.
The Josh Hamilton Story
As it appeared originally on the blog “The V-List” on July 14, 2008:
Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, much like he did when he beat out Derek Jeter for the 2006 American League MVP, edged out a fan favorite to win the 2008 Home Run Derby, with a total of five homers in the final round of competition. His opponent? Josh Hamilton, a baseball legend in the making, who battled demons that made lesser men of professionals like Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry, players who made inspirational, championship-inducing comebacks with the Yankees that pales in comparison to what Hamilton has done these past two campaigns with the Reds and Rangers. Should the season end today, Hamilton would win the MVP award outright, in lieu of his flirtation with baseball’s elusive Triple Crown, last achieved by Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. To add to these feats, Josh won over a fickle Yankee Stadium crowd with a Mantle-esque swing that crushed a ball measured at 504 feet. In the first round of this evening’s slugfest, Hamilton hit a record 28 homeruns (four more than the previous record holder, Bobby Abreu, compiled in 2005), his accomplishment met by 58,000 lauding crowd members emphatically chanting his name, the majority of whom were Yankee fans, that, in all the years I have followed the organization, have never glorified the accolades of an opposing player so passionately. Hamilton, as he proclaimed himself in an article featured in an ESPN spread last year, wished for a better life, one he found through family, baseball, and belief in God. Upon bowing out in the final round of tonight’s derby, Hamilton committed a task that was perhaps more arduous than any addiction or pitcher he has yet to face: he gave praise to God in front of a legion of new-found Hamilton followers, a wave that has reached some tens of millions in light of the show he put on at the derby. Say what you will about his past: as Hamilton continues to joust with addiction, he remains clean en route to one of the greatest baseball stories ever produced in the game’s fabled history. With 95 RBI’s and 21 homeruns to his credit thus far, Hamilton is sure to impress with a strong finish to the 2008 season, one that conveys sports’ capacity to allow stories of the human condition to prevail. 
Please Don’t Go: The Case for Yankee Stadium
As it appeared originally on the blog “The V-List” on July, 12, 2008:
Despite the aura and mystique that Yankee Stadium has bestowed upon its in-house tenants, the Bronx Bombers (26 World Series championships, 39 American League pennants, and a gaggle of Hall of Famers), ‘The House that Ruth Built’ has been privy to several papal visits, the 1925 Notre Dame/Army game altered by the ‘win one for the Gipper’ speech, “The Greatest Game Ever Played” (the NFL’s first overtime contest, a 23 – 17 win by the Johnny Unitas-led Baltimore Colts over the New York Giants), Pele’s tenure as New York Cosmos’ striker from 1975 – 1977, numerous Billy Joel, U2, and Pink Floyd concerts, and boxing matches that featured the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Max Baer, Rocky Graziano, and Sugar Ray Robinson. Although many associate the Stadium with our national pastime, the Yankees’ home field is a sports arena that has attracted audiences of varying interests for nearly 85 years. Renovated in 1975 and 1976, a project funded by benefactor George Steinbrenner (a time during which the Yanks played their home games at Shea), the Stadium has developed an ambiance of winning, professionalism, and poignancy that has earned it the title of the Cathedral of Baseball. July 15, 2008 will mark the last All-Star Game (the Stadium’s fourth) to be played in the Bronx, while September 21 (at the earliest) may in fact be the last game contested at the Stadium, playoff berth notwithstanding. With construction of the new Yankee Stadium to end in early 2009, the old Stadium will be bulldozed, only to be recalled in history books and the minds of baseball fans across the nation. Should this deconstruction take place? This Yankee fan says no. Here’s a look at why:
5. There are no foreseeable plans to construct ‘The Bat’ at the new Stadium site. Constructed as an aesthetic cover to an eyesore of an exhaust pipe, the 138-foot tall rendering of a Louisville Slugger stands as a meeting place for ticket holders looking to rendezvous with fellow fans sitting in their section before each game. ‘The Bat’ is a landmark by which all fans can relate and easily seek out, as it is the epicenter of the many vendors peddling hot dogs, pretzels, and pinstriped memorabilia outside of the Stadium’s gates. Although current renovations do include the upheaval of Monument Park (a collection of plaques that commemorate Yankee legends) and the inclusion of the trademark frieze atop the scoreboard (the white façade that lines the upper interior of the Stadium), there is no intention to include ‘The Bat’ in the current architectural state of the new Yankee Stadium. In spite of this exemption, the nonchalant uprooting of locker room artifacts and placards for their placement in the new Stadium simply will not be the same–it’s the equivalent of dusting off your old NES games and revisiting them for old time’s sake, knowing that your Xbox 360 collection currently predominates. Just as the old Yankee Stadium has transmuted into a highly identifiable landmark (with pennants and championship-caliber lineups compiled along the way), attempting to recreate the former Yankee aura simply will not cut it knowing what was previously sacrificed in the name of tending to the corporations and suits that will flood the new Stadium. After all, why relinquish a perfectly good product that still works just fine (Yankee Stadium continues to pull in over three million fans on a yearly basis, in spite of the third-world atmosphere surrounding the Stadium’s confines)? 
4. Thousands of seats are being removed for more luxury boxes and party suites. At its peak, Yankee Stadium held an upward of 70,000 fans (in 1942), a far cry from the 57,545 it currently holds. For various reasons (the infrastructure of the Stadium is too fragile to hold such numbers and baseball implemented the ‘batter’s eye’ in all ballparks; hence, the ‘black’ and loss of hundreds of seats in right-center), Stadium architects were given no other choice but to modify the seating arrangements in order to keep the park up-to-date with its safety codes. The new Yankee Stadium will hold 52,325 fans at maximum capacity, a number that dwindles from the original capacity in light of Steinbrenner and Company’s incessant desire to incorporate luxury boxes and party suites along the mezzanine, two measures that allows businesses to keep the Stadium’s revenue costs in the black. As is the ongoing trend in the construction of new ballparks, stadiums are constructed with luxury boxes in mind, all in the name of procuring filthy money hand over fist.
3. Shall we call it “The House that A-Rod Built?” 
2. The Ghosts of Yankee Past won’t take too well to a relocation. When Yankee captain Derek Jeter waxes nostalgic about the ballpark he so masterfully made his own domain, he fondly speaks of its intangibles, the ‘ghosts’ who mythically manipulate games in the Yankees’ favor. Now, imagine excavating the very grounds these spirits called home for so many years and you get a sense of the horror new Stadium architects are facilitating. Think Poltergeist II, when Craig T. Nelson realizes that the home he purchased in the first film was erected on top of a burial ground for deceased cult members, led by the demagogue pastor Kane. The spirits of these misled cult disciples were not exorcised in the first house and would follow Carol Anne wherever she went. Pretty terrifying, huh? If Yankee brass knew any better, they would ask for Pope Benedict’s return to the Bronx in order to perform a service that allows the ghosts of DiMaggio, Mantle, Gehrig, and Ruth to rest peacefully. If not, we’re talking a curse of Red Sox proportions.
1. Says loyal season ticket holders everywhere, “You expect me to pay WHAT?” You better sit for this one. While you’re at it, remove anything breakable from your reach, pop a shot of tequila, and prepare a bucket for possible upchuck. Currently, you can ‘afford’ a seat behind home plate at Yankee Stadium for $250. The same seat in the new Yankee Stadium will cost… (figure will be written out for much-needed emphasis)…TWO THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, ten times the original cost!!! Mind you, these seats will be catered, but unless Yankee ownership intends to defray the cost for a year’s worth of groceries, you are s%$# out of luck. Many current season ticket holders will be expected to fork up twice the amount they already pay on their ticket plan. If they choose to not pay such a price, then to hell with them; the Steinbrenners will find somebody else that will. For a game that is sustained by the common man, an everyday Joe that can enjoy a game anywhere in the ballpark, whether it be in the bleachers or the upperdeck, the sport of baseball is willing to excise this fanbase in exchange for suits with gargantuan money market accounts. As the Yankees are willing to embrace this trend, you can say goodbye to the Bleacher Creatures that made the Stadium the experience it is today, while you nuzzle up to a yuppie who knows nothing about the game and guzzle that eight dollar brew of yours. 
I Feel Good: Our National Pastime
As it appeared originally on the blog “The V-List” on July 11, 2008:
Typically, the hours leading up to baseball’s July 31st trade deadline are noted for a flurry of transactions that could make or break an organization’s attempt at reaching the postseason. In 2008, the biggest blockbusters have already been made, as Athletics’ ace Rich Harden has made his way to the Cubs in Chicago’s response to the Milwaukee’s acquisition of last year’s American League Cy Young award winner, the robust C.C. Sabathia. In either case, the Cubbies and Brewers have made their intentions clear: they will work diligently to label themselves as serious World Series contenders. In lieu of these ambitious moves, the V-List takes a look at the best feel-good stories of the MLB season thus far. 
5. Geovany Soto: An NL First Pop quiz, hot shot. Who is the first National League rookie to start at catcher for the All-Star team? If you guessed Johnny Bench or Mike Piazza, you would be wrong. This distinction is held by none other than current Chicago Cubs backstop Geovany Soto, who proved his worth to the organization by mashing the ball in a late-September call-up in 2007. By hitting .289 with 15 homers and 52 RBI’s, Soto, much like his compatriot Kosuke Fukodome, has invigorated the North Side of Chicago with tremendous flair and passion for the game. Many games have been won off the bat of Soto, to which the Cubbies are grateful, as they hold the best record in the National League at 54 – 36. Much like Dodgers’ catcher Russell Martin before him, Soto has infused youth into a position once dominated by the likes of Pudge Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, who are at the tail ends of their respective careers. Here’s to many more All-Star appearances by this Puerto Rican sensation, who just might aid his ballclub in taking home the franchise’s first World Series in 100 years.
4. The Kid Goes for 600 
Injuries have derailed promising careers of legends (Sandy Koufax) and near Hall of Famers (Don Mattingly) alike. For Ken Griffey, Jr., arguably the game’s best all-around player in the 1990′s, “The Kid” watched as his assault on Hank Aaron’s homerun mark crumbled, simply because his move to the Cincinnati Reds has brought nothing but injury after career-threatening injury. Even so, in a June contest against the Florida Marlins, Griffey continued to utilize his sweet power stroke as he reached career dinger #600 (and counting) for his illustrious career. Although Barry Bonds has already surpassed Aaron’s record, it’s Griffey’s career that moves baseball fans the most, simply because Griffey is a man of class and passion, one who plays the game each and every day like a Little Leaguer awaiting the reward of an ice cream cone at the end of a Reds’ victory.
3. Tim Lincecum: Diminutive Size, Behemoth Effort The folklore surrounding Giants’ lefthander Tim Lincecum is astounding when you consider little Timmy was 4’11″ entering his freshman year of high school. Some ten years later (and a foot taller), Lincecum dazzles fans by the Bay with 98 MPH heat, a weapon that has delivered 10 wins, a 2.49 ERA, and 122 strikeouts for a team depleted by the departure of many talented ballplayers, including Barry Bonds. Lincecum first burst onto the scene on an ESPN broadcast of Sunday Night Baseball on May 6, 2007. With a freakish stride of seven and a half feet, 129% of his height (most major leaguers average a stride that is 83% of their height), Lincecum has given Giants fans a reason to show up to the ballpark, knowing that their ace of the future has many more gems left to bestow upon San Francisco followers willing to wait for a Renaissance in the Bay City
2. Jon Lester: No-Hitting Cancer Survivor For the first time in Boston Red Sox history, two Boston hurlers pitched consecutive no-hitters from 2007 to 2008, the first completed by Clay Bucholz on September 1, 2007, the latter accomplished by Jon Lester on May 19th of this season. What is especially awe-inspiring about Lester’s feat was the fact that only a year ago had Jon battled lymphoma, a form of cancer. Upon his return from chemotherapy and radiation treatment in August of last year, Lester returned to the organization and pitched in the decisive fourth game of the 2007 World Series, an effort that delivered Boston’s second title in four years. In Lester’s no-hit effort, Jason Varitek was behind the plate, a catcher who ended up calling his fourth no-hitter, an MLB record (an achievement he endured with Lester, Bucholz, Derek Lowe, and Hideo Nomo, all pitchers for the Red Sox). 
1. How About Them Rays? Upon joining the Rays in April of this year, third baseman Evan Longoria surfaced as the next big thing in Tampa Bay, hitting .270 with 16 homeruns and 47 RBI’s at age 23. Longoria anchors a lineup strengthened by the likes of Carl Crawford, Dioner Navarro, Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton, and Jonny Gomes, a group that has led Tampa Bay to the best record in baseball at 55 – 34. As if the hitting corps weren’t remarkable enough, the Rays are further stabilized by a pitching staff led by Scott Kazmir, Andy Sonnanstine, Matt Garza, James Shields, and Edwin Jackson, a young quintet that will later be revitalized by star prospect David Price, who is currently dominating Double-A. Managed by Joel Maddon, the Rays are on the fast track toward taking the AL East divisional title, as the squad currently holds a lead of 7.5 games ahead of the Yankees and 4.5 games ahead of the Red Sox. In a season peppered with surprises (the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins), the Rays are at the forefront of an enticing AL East race that will come down to the season’s final weeks, a juncture no Rays fan could have envisioned, even Dick Vitale, a season-ticket holder since the team’s inaugural season in the bigs.
Curses of the Sports World
Upon winning the Stanley Cup to cap the 1939-1940 season, the New York Rangers would fail to hoist the Cup again for a record 54 years thereafter. As is customary for winners of Lord Stanley’s trophy, various players, coaches, and personnel within the organization toted the the prize to numerous hot spots within the city, only to have it stolen, marking the first and only time this has happened in the Cup’s history (mind you, the Cup has been used as an ashtray, a champagne flute, and has been dinged up countless times; the Cup itself annually goes through more cosmetic maintenance than the King of Pop). During one sixteen year stretch starting in 1951, the squad would fail to make the playoffs twelve times. The Rangers even lost a contest in the mid-1940′s by a score of 15-0 and even started a goaltender who maintained an unheard of 6.20 goals-against-average. Everywhere the Rangers went (especially Nassau Coliseum, where the rival Islanders play), the team was chided with the abhorrent chant of “1940!” Under the helm of Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Mike Richter and coach Mike Keenan, the Rangers would outlast the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to win the Stanley Cup in 1994, a moment in New York sports to recall forever. Curse ended, a miracle 54 years in the making.
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Chicago Cubs and the Curse of the Goat
Why the New York Yankees Will Remain 26-Time World Champs for a Long Time Coming
The Apple Doesn’t Fall Too Far From the Tree
As it appeared originally on the blog “It Gets Through Buckner” on April 21, 2008:
The Stein lives on! As an earlier posting suggested, the Steinbrenner legacy continues to defile the Yankee tradition, right to its very core. So as to establish George’s character and further bring light to the ways of the old Stein regime, here are two anecdotes to emphasize what we as Yankee fans have all grown accustomed to.
Circa 1973. Having made some serious bank in U.S. Steel and Kinsman Shipping, George leads a team of investors in the pursuit of purchasing the New York Yankees (he does so for $10 million–the team’s value in 2007 had since skyrocketed to $1.5 billion, so you have to commend his financially savvy ways). While present at one of his first games in the press box, a Yankee is on third and crosses the plate in the midst of a ground-out…after the third out has already been recorded. George applauds the ‘feat.’ A member of the organization had to enlighten George, calling to attention that the run would not count. The moment served as testament to a piss-poor baseball quotient.
Circa 1977. ‘Sweet’ Lou Piniella is called into Steinbrenner’s office to discuss the disheveled hair-do Piniella let fester during spring training. Piniella gripes, claiming that if a gentleman like Jesus Christ was able to shag out his hair, why couldn’t he? At this, George took Lou by the arm and led him across the street, to a hotel with an outdoor pool. “Lou,” Steinbrenner began, “if you can prove to me that you can walk on water, you can keep the haircut.” Point emphatically made. Lou abided by the infamous grooming demand and cut his hair. As this moment proves, not even Piniella’s moxie could compete with Steinbrenner’s.
Spring forward to today. Hank ‘The Tank’ Steinbrenner, even without George in the picture, has channeled his father, spewing ludicrous insights that the New York Times posted in Monday’s sports edition. 
In light of the Yankees’ sputtering start (by the way, with a week and a half left in April, the team has already surpassed its win total from April of last year), Steinbrenner had plenty to say. “If I were part of the personnel decisions last year,” Hank chortled, “there was no way Joba [Chamberlain] would be in the set-up role. You’d have to be an idiot to not start a guy who can throw 100 MPH. An idiot.” (Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman must appreciate that vote of confidence). He then proposed what a possible starting rotation would be if Joba were a part of it: Chien-Ming Wang, Phil Hughes, Andy Pettitte, Ian Kennedy, and Chamberlain. Seemingly missing from the list was Mike Mussina. This is where the flaming commenced. “Now, if only Moose could begin to pitch like [45 year old] Jamie Moyer, our rotation would be in good shape.” (Nobody put a gun to your head when ‘your’ organization opted to pick up that multi-million dollar option on Moose, did they Hanker?).
For argument’s sake, let’s dissect Moyer’s stint in the past five years, along with Mussina’s: Mussina: 68 – 42, 4.21 ERA, 906 IP’s, 732 K’s, 1.27 WHIP, .277 BAA (including a 2007 when he reached career highs in ERA and BAA, and career lows in K’s and IP’s)
Moyer: 66 – 53, 4.40 ERA, 1027 IP’s, 597 K’s, 1.33 WHIP, .277 BAA
As one might observe, the stat-lines are parallels of each other, with Mussina edging out Moyer for his efficiency and K-capacity. But consider: Mussina is the only pitching acquisition that has panned out for the Yanks in the last nine years, especially when you put Moose up against the likes of Jose Contreras, Jeff Weaver, Jon Lieber, Javier Vazquez, Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Jaret Wright, Carl Pavano, Kei Igawa, and the 2007 version of Roger Clemens. Mussina’s tenure with the Yankees cannot be overlooked, even if he has been inconsistent the past year and a half. As for 2008: take away Mussina’s at-bats against Manny Ramirez this year (especially last Saturday’s contest at Fenway, when Moose should have intentionally walked Manny with 1st base open and two outs in the 6th), and Moose doesn’t look nearly as shabby as his rotation counterparts.
Hands down: Joba Chamberlain is a special talent, a pitching phenom the Yankees haven’t seen since, well, Mariano Rivera. The questions Hank needs to ask himself: will Joba’s 100 MPH and four-pitch arsenal (hardly Santana-esque, just yet) translate to winning games every fifth day? Will Joba’s starts be good enough to make up for what LaTroy Hawkins and Kyle Farnsworth will offer in the 8th inning? Is sending Joba down to Triple A for a period of at least a month be worth it when the Yankees (1) have nobody to relieve in the 8th and (2) Jeff Karstens/Kei Igawa/Darrell Rasner are forced to spot-start every now and again until Joba returns to the big club? Any person with an iota of baseball knowledge would answer ‘no’ to each inquiry, especially when you consider that the Joba and Mo’s prowess shortens the game to 7 innings practically EVERY time they pitch together. The only team that can come close to such dominance is the Chicago Cubs, with Carlos Marmol working the 8th and Kerry Wood working the 9th (that is, if Wood stays healthy for more than three weeks). From what baseball man to another, Hank: do not, I repeat, DO NOT consider Joba’s potential as a starter; allow him to dominate the 8th and work steadily towards becoming Mariano’s replacement. After all, how many World Series has Rivera helped deliver?
As if Hank’s comments on Monday weren’t enough, young Stein has openly put a bounty on Gino Castignoli’s head for burying a David Ortiz jersey beneath the construction of the new Yankee Stadium: “I hope his co-workers beat the living s#*& out of him.” It appears as though the apple hasn’t fallen too far from the tree: Hank has proven he can bully with the best of them, which, for this Yankee fan, is arduous to swallow.
Remembering Jackie
As it appeared originally on the blog “It Gets Through Buckner” on April 15, 2008:
On the 61st anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier, Major League Baseball released a report that conveyed a staggering statistic: only 8.2% of the players currently competing in the major leagues are African-American. Mind you, what many fail to see is that Jackie Robinson eradicated the fetters of oppression for all minorities that have thrived in professional baseball (why else would Latin star Robinson Cano adopt the number during April 15th’s contest with the Rays? Hell, the man wears Jackie’s inverse, 24, to honor his legacy; and did you notice what his parents’ named him?). When you calculate the number of players of Japanese, Latin and African-American descent, that 8% number jumps considerably. Furthermore, observe the last 16 MVP award recipients in the last 8 years: 13 of them are non-white, including Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and Barry Bonds (four times). Of the greatest living ballplayers, feast your eyes on this group: Willie Mays (arguably the best all-around ballplayer EVER), Ken Griffey, Jr. (a man who dominated an entire decade, the 1990′s), Bonds (baseball’s most prolific slugger), Hank Aaron (Mr. Consistent, a man having slugged 755 homers in a career when he never topped 40 in a season), Rickey Henderson (the game’s best leadoff man), Ozzie Smith (nicknamed the Wiz for his slick fielding), Tony Gwynn (Ted Williams’s equal), Barry Larkin, Frank Thomas, Andre Dawson, Jim Rice, Rod Carew, Joe Morgan (arguably the best second basemen to grace the diamond), Bob Gibson, Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield, and Frank Robinson (the first black manager, who later led his team to a World Se
ries)…and this is merely the list of LIVING black baseball superstars. Once all is said and done, every one of these names will be recognized in Cooperstown. In fact, if you removed these players’ accolades and plaques from the halls of Cooperstown, you wouldn’t have much of a Hall of Fame: PERIOD. These aforementioned players are not simply amongst the best: by many standards, they are the best. None of this is possible without Jackie’s influence. Several baseball purists argue that, because of his impact on the game, Babe Ruth’s number should be retired all throughout baseball, just like Jackie’s was in 1997. As far as I am concerned, this practice would altogether nullify the sanctity of what Robinson did for the game of baseball. As astounding as Ruth’s feats were, his toughest choice on any given day was picking the woman he was going to sleep with or the beer he was going to swig that evening. Jackie endangered the well-being of himself and his family to make a statement to supersede all statements: people of color belonged in baseball. If Jackie’s tenure in baseball were just a decade or two earlier, we’d be hearing stories of Josh Gibson’s homerun prowess (a man said to have hit between .350 and .384 for his career, along with 800+ homeruns), not Babe Ruth’s. Remember: Jackie Robinson wasn’t merely a superb ballplayer; he was the greatest sports icon to ever live. Hence why millions nationwide pay homage to #42 this day, April 15, 2008.
Long Live ‘The Stein.’ The Evil Empire is Back!
ower of the Yankee tradition, I need to get this off my chest. Regardless of what you may read from these lines, I cannot and will not change my allegiance to the ball club. After all, guys like Hughes and Jeter are still worth rooting for:Like my father before me, I am a tried and true, hotblooded, diehard Yankee fan. I even went so far as to suggest ‘Mattingly’ and ‘Derek’ as names for my first-born son (my sensible wife thought better of it; I suppose they’ll be better suited for the dog, a la Indiana Jones). Upon meeting my mother, my dad molded her into a rabid Yankee supporter; they both, in turn, had an indellible say when it came to my baseball allegiance. I was raised on stories of Guidry and Munson, fed several accounts of Mick mythology, and made an advocate of Mattingly and Winfield. At age 14, I was taken to an on-the-field clinic, a time when I actually got to walk on the field at Yankee Stadium, on the same day that Derek Jeter made his debut in New York. But ever since 1995, my father swore off the Yankees, cold turkey. “As long as a Steinbrenner is running the show,” my father digressed, “I will no longer root for the Yankees.” Ever since, he has followed that second-class club in Queens, having missed four championships in the process. For dad, it was a matter of principle: consummate pros like Don Mattingly, Mike Stanley, and Buck Showalter were ousted (as per George Steinbrenner) for the construction of a new regime, an era to be led by Joe Torre, the same manager who failed miserably in his short tenure as Cardinals manager. What sickened my father was the renaissance of the win-first mentality: although the Yankees played a magnificent five-game series against the Seattle Mariners as the American League’s first Wild Card winner, they were deemed failures by ownership for not bringing home a championship. Such sentiment, according to my father, led to Donnie Baseball’s premature retirement, the final straw of ruin for his pinstriped loyalty.
As luck would have it, Big Stein’s deteriorating health would coincide with yet another change in the Bronx. As quoted and later reiterated in the Superman series, “The son becomes the father, and the father becomes the son.”
Welcome a new dictator at the helm, Mr. Hank Steinbrenner. My father’s disgust for the organization may now last well into the next decade. Under Hank’s watch, this is what has become of the New York Yankees in the off-season:
- As taken from the lips of Hank: “I hope Andy Pettitte doesn’t make us regret not trading for Johan Santana.” As if Mr. Pettitte wouldn’t have the mounting pressure of a Congressional investigation to worry about, the success of the Yankees’ 2008 campaign rests squarely on his need to lead the pitching staff.
- Along the same lines, Hank has openly second-guessed Brian Cashman’s trust in the youth of the organization, most notably Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Joba Chamberlain, a tandem Cashman would not include in any prospective trade involving Santana. This same group could, if given a chance, do something extremely special.
- Ownership gave Torre a low-ball deal, bypassed Mattingly as his predecessor, and hired malcontent Joe Girardi as manager, who was cocky enough to don the number 27 to suggest that he will add at least another championship to the organization during his tenure.
- The organization allowed Billy Crystal to take the field in pinstripes. The comedian Billy Crystal. Who is 60 years old.
- The Yankees’ relationship with Scott Boras transcended the game of baseball. Alex Rodriguez opted out of his contract during a World Series the Yankees were yet again not contending in (as per his agent), much to Hank’s chagrin. “We will no longer deal with the likes of A-Rod,” chirped the young Stein, who later reconsidered, signing the three-time MVP to a ludicrous deal.
- The Yankees’ propensity to spend recklessly (Andy Pettitte was tendered an ace’s salary this year, where he will earn $16 million) has driven ticket prices to infinity and beyond! A bleacher seat at one time cost the common fan $5. During high school, it cost me $8 to be amongst the Bleacher Creatures. By 2009, this same seat will cost $24 in the new stadium. Ticket holders can rightfully thank the tycoons known as the Steinbrenners for this shift in price and shift in baseball economics. A game once affordable to attend is no longer family-friendly.
- The new-look Yankees are now prone to picking fights with the (Devil) Rays in retaliation for playing baseball the right way: hard-nosed.
- Not that this is Hank’s fault, but Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling are still given the rights to broadcast from the booth. On the radio, the Yankees are UNLISTENABLE.
- The Yankees broke the bank for players past their prime. Albeit heroes, Posada and Rivera were given pricey, multi-year contracts to be retained, with no interest conveyed to them in the free agent market. Furthermore, no viable replacements are waiting in the wings for either of them (oh wait, the catching and closing positions don’t have to be filled in-house–that’s something the organization can handle in free agency with longer, even more ridiculous contracts). Which brings me to my next point….
- Why would Joba Chamberlain, he of the 0.38 ERA, spectacular stuff, and unparalleled moxie, EVER be considered for a spot in the starting rotation? In the eyes of Hank’s ‘baseball people,’ he will start in the not too distant future. It is HIGHLY unlikely that Rivera will pitch seamlessly over the life of his contract. With that said, Joba MUST be groomed as the next Yankee closer. It’s not often a reliever like Mo comes around, one who can dominate with the longevity that he could, and yet, here is Joba, whose flashes of brilliance last year were a glimpse into his dazzling future, one that is eerily similar to Rivera’s, a pitcher touted as a starter, used as a set-up man, and later groomed as a closer. Ask the Red Sox how that worked out.
- The Yankees entertained offers for Hideki Matsui, one of which included trading him to the Giants for Noah Lowry, who isn’t even on San Francisco’s radar as a top-line starter. Trading consistency for uncertainty reeks of how the Yankees USED to do things.
- Jason Giambi is still given a chance to prove himself as a first base candidate.
- The organization allows Luis Vizcaino to walk so that he may be replaced by LaTroy Hawkins. The last time the Yankees blew big money on a set-up man, Kyle Farnsworth came to town. Hopefully Girardi’s contract came with a Rolaids clause.
- And last but not least, another quotable from Hank: “It’s time that balance in baseball return itself to the way it was. ESPN promotes all things Red Sox and are singlehandedly responsible for creating Red Sox Nation. It’s time for us, the Yankees, to bring balance back to the universe. The baseball world is for us to reclaim.”
Like father, like son. Here’s to decades more of the Steinbrenner legacy!
LONG LIVE THE STEIN!
bryanmpoldv
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