Baseball Struggles

So now that the baseball season is under full swing (ha get it!), I should be knee deep in MLB news.  I should be watching every highlight, whether it be Albert Pujols struggling at the plate or Yu Darvish dominating on the mound.  To be honest though, I don’t even know if Pujols is still doing poorly and if Darvish is even still any good.  Why the lack of interest in baseball at the moment?  Because my team is sucking!

That sounds awful right?  My love for baseball shouldn’t be conditional of my favorite team’s success (or lack there of).  I should be genuinely interested in the sport regardless of the record of my home team.  Sadly that’s not the case.

I try though, I really do.  I end up watching games that D’Backs are in (I grew up in AZ) but day in and day out I end up cursing myself for ever watching the sport.  Players I’ve grown to admire and endear have underperformed.  Some even have flat out sucked. 

It’s caused a desdain between myself and the game of baseball, because I am constantly reminded of mediocrity.  I’m not the only one that feels this way I’m sure.  I mean the head coach, Kurt Gibson has even spoke of using a Ouija Board to look for answers.  Whatever it takes I guess. 

It’s not just the 2011 division winning D’Backs who are struggling through.  I mean when the Baltimore Oriels are first in the AL East, you know baseball is having a wacky year so far.  Teams like the Red Sox, Phillies, Angles, Yankees, Braves, etc are all underperforming.  These organizations by the way, only consider a playoff spot as success (some only a WS ring).

I’ll keep putting myself through the pain of watching games and hope for a comeback like we saw last year.  Plus, soon the NBA playoffs will be over and I’ll have nothing else to watch.  I guess that’s just part of being a fan.  At least I’m not a Chicago Cubs fan.  Now they got it rough!

So that’s Sports: from the fan’s perspective. 

Oh, and I have a little something fun.  I enjoy giving players on my favorite team nicknames: so here are some from the D’backs.  Feel free to include your favorite nicknames from your team as well.

Kirk Gibson - Gibby
Trevor Bauer - Bauer Outage
Craig Breslow - Smartest Man in Baseball
Trevor Cahill - The White Rabbit
Josh Collmenter - The Tomahawk
David Hernandez - Hardball
Daniel Hudson - Huddy
Ian Kennedy - Captain Red Beard
Joe Paterson - Joe Pats
JJ Putz - The Big Guy
Joe Saunders - Bazooka Joe, or “Joe”
Henry Blanco - Hommerin Henry
Miguel Montero - The Microwave, The Refrigerator, Miggy
Willie Bloomquist - Willie Broomstick, Willie Ballgame, WFB
Geoff Blum - Gi-Off
Stephen Drew - Wolf
Paul Goldshmidt - Goldy
John McDonald - Johnny Mac
Lyle Overbay - Lyle Overpay, Lyle Doubleplay, etc
Ryan Roberts - Tat Man
Jason Kubel - Kubo
Gerardo Parra - The Rooster/El Gallo
Justin Upton - J-Up
Chris Young - C.Y.

Metta World Not So Much Peace

Guys like Ron Artest, I mean Metta World Peace shouldn’t even be in the NBA.  Yes he is a talented basketball player but if I were David Stern I would not want players like Artest in my league.  He has had multiple offenses of violence, even once going into the stands to assault a fan.  This last incident is just icing on the cake.

Not only did he bring down the “People’s Elbow” on a fellow player but he did so on a top seeded OKC team and on the likely 6th man of the year, James Harden.  I root for the Thunder but don’t consider them my team by any stretch of the means.  I am a Harden fan since he is a fellow Sun Devil and that all being said, I still would want Artest’s head for this.  Just think what die hard Oklahoma City fans would want.  

Stern is going to have to come down hard on this punishment.  I’m thinking more than a 10 game suspension.  He may even wait to give the suspension until after Harden comes back on the court.  Realistically, Metta World Peace’s season may be over.  If he is suspended indefinitely I would have no issue with it either.  Just take James Harden’s perspective; you were blindsided with an elbow after a guy celebrated an ordinary dunk, 3 seconds after the fact.  Now who knows when you will be back of if you are even 100% once you do.  Not to mention the playoffs are right around the corner.

We’ve learned from the NFL concussions are a big deal and take a long time to heal.  Even if he is back next week, there is no guarantee he will be as explosive or productive.  Just think what this does to an OKC team that is considered one of the best in the NBA.  One of your big 3 is out for who knows how long.  How will this affect him once he’s back?  Will he play timidly? Will concussion related headaches affect his playing?  The repercussions could be huge.

Ron Artest, Metta World Peace or whatever you want to call him is a joke.  He is unprofessional and considered by some to be a “thug”.  He doesn’t deserve this many second chances and should pay for his actions.  I’m sure a majority of people feel the same way I do, and it will be interesting to see how this unfolds within the next few weeks.  

Anyways, that’s sports: from the fans perspective.  

2012 MLB Predictions

There are plenty of baseball rankings out there preparing for the freshly started season.  Here is how I think (hope) it’ll turn out this year:

AL EAST: Tampa Bay Rays 

I’m going to go out on a limb here and pick the Rays.  With the Red Sox continuing to have locker room issues and a huge hole at closer after the free agency loss of Papelbon to the Phillies and the injury of Andrew Bailey.  Not to mention Terry Francona will continue to rub people the wrong way.  The Rays score runs a variety of ways with a young and balanced attack.  They also keep games low scoring with pitching that starts with Shields and Price.  We’ve also seen a competitive nature in the Rays that is unrivaled after their come from behind race into the playoffs last year.  The Yankees are who I see taking one of the playoff spots.  They are offensively load and have enough pitching to keep them in games.  The Yanks will have to rely on improvements from Hughes and Nova, who will have step up their game since Joba’s trampoline incident.

1.  Tampa Bay Rays
2. New York Yankees (wild card)
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

AL CENTRAL: Detroit Tigers 

This will probably be the most lopsided division in baseball with the Tigers running away with it.  They have a pitcher with MVP type stuff in Verlander, a dominant closer in Valverde and probably the best corner infield in baseball with Cabrera and Fielder.  The Royals look to be the next Tampa Bay with the development of a lot of young talent such as Hochevar and Alex Gordon.  The Indians are still a few years away while the White Sox and Twins continue their decline and aren’t poised to make a big playoff push.

1. Detroit Tigers
2. Kansas City Royals
3. Cleveland Indians
4. Minnesota Twins
5. Chicago White Sox

AL WEST: Los Angeles Angels 

This will be a two team race between the Rangers and the Angels.  The Angels, loaded up with TV money, signed an MVP candidate in Pujols to solidify an already potent lineup.  Then they ad former Ranger ace C.J. Wilson to add to a rotation that already includes Haren and Weaver.  The Rangers won’t be going down without a fight.  The lineup will continue to score runs behind Hamilton and Co. plus Yu Darvish may have comparable numbers to C.J. Wilson this season anyways.  Meanwhile the Mariners and Billy Beane’s A’s will continue to rebuild this season.

1. Los Angeles Angels
2. Texas Rangers (wildcard)
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Oakland A’s

NL EAST: Philadelphia Phillies 

The Phillies have been atop this division for quite a while now, and it seems it will remain the same this year.  They have one of the best starting rotations in the NL and proven stars that help fill a deep lineup.  The big factor with the Phillies are age and health.  Utley, Rollins and Howard have all had injuries that have caused them to miss substantial playing time.  When healthy this team is a powerhouse in the NL.  Behind them are the newly improved Marlins, the always competitive Braves and the surging Nationals.  The Marlins’ playoff hopes depend on Josh Johnsons arm and Jose Reyes’ health.  The Braves need consistency while the Nationals need their young ball club to mature quick.  Sorry Mets it’ll be a tough year.

1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Miami Marlins
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets

NL CENTRAL: St. Louis Cardinals 

Even with the loss of Albert Pujols the Cardinals will remain a threat.  With a healthy Carpenter they are balanced and experienced.  David Freese looks to continue his World Series run and Carlos Beltran hopes to take some of the load off the offense.  Meanwhile the Brew-Crew will try to rebound after losing Fielder to free agency.  Don’t be surprised if Braun’s output drops considerably.  This might be more because of the lack of Prince in the lineup, not because of Braun’s PED allegations.  The big competition in the Central I think are the Reds.  The Reds have been poised to make some noise the past two years and have underperformed.  After breaking the bank on Votto, Cincinnati needs to make a return on a massive investment.  Although the Pirates made strides last year, McCutchen simply isn’t enough to push this team into contention.  When looking at the Cubs there are far more negatives than positives, and Theo has his work cut out for him.

1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Cincinnati Reds (wildcard) 
3. Milwakee Brewers
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Houston Astros

NL WEST: Arizona Diamondbacks 

The D-Backs surprised baseball last year with taking the NL West.  Don’t look for things to change.  The D-Backs rely on great pitching from their starting rotation and especially from their pen (3 different guys could close for this team).  The offensive production will be there with a more matured Goldschmidt, an MVP candidate in Upton and added depth with the addition of Kubel.  The rotation is deep and has the ability to put up a lot of innings.  This team even has talent in the minors such as Bauer, Skaggs and Corbin are all primed and ready for the big show.  Gibby has this team playing his style of baseball and they are set for a championship run.  The Giants aren’t going anywhere either however.  The Giants have a more talented starting rotation, and rely heavily on their performance.  With the additions of a healthy Posey and free agent Melky Cabrera, the offensive will improve.  They will make the race for the NL West close.  The Dodgers with “Magic” money paying for the team look to make a run as well.  They are definitely talented with MVP candidate Matt Kemp, all-star Andre Ethier and Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw.  I just don’t see the Dodgers having the depth and consistency to make a playoff run however.  There is a similar story out in Colorado, a talented lineup but lack of pitching will be their achilles heel.

1. Arizona Diamondbacks
2. San Francisco Giants (wildcard)
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres

Personally I would like to see a D-Backs vs. Tigers World Series.

Still An Impact After A Decade

With March Madness getting ready to start and the NBA season in full swing, basketball has been on my mind lately.  I’ll admit I don’t often keep up with all of the latest college teams until March and I only watch highlights of NBA games.  Once March comes around for the NCAA and the NBA playoffs near, however, I get hooked.  Why is that?  Well I think it comes down to competition.

I grew up idolizing basketball players.  Growing up in Phoenix I often watch KJ (Kevin Johnson)  Sir Charles (Charles Barkley) and Thunder Dan (Dan Majerle) put on a show.  I would watch John Stockton thread the needle on a pass to The Mailman (Karl Malone).  Above all others though, Michael Jordan was my hero.  

Michael Jordan was the epitome of hard work, determination and competition.  He soared through the air better than any super hero you saw on TV.  He made dreams come true with buzzer beaters that always seemed to get nothing but net.  He even collaborated with one of my favorite cartoon characters growing up, Bugs Bunny. 

MJ retired and I moved on to other sports until players like Steve Nash revitalized my love of basketball.  And I thought that would be it.  Michael Jordan a distant memory of my childhood.  I would tell my kids about the greatest player to ever play the game and I’d feel like it was a myth.  It would be like trying to tell people about Babe Ruth.  All of the cigars, booze and home-runs were great I’m sure but to me it’s only a legend.  

Recently however, I re-stumbled upon Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame induction speech (which was ironically 23 minutes long).  He spoke of competition.  From his family, to being told he wasn’t good enough, all of it simply added fuel to the fire.  He called out coaches and former players, holding everyone accountable for ever doubting him.  All his success, all his championships, MVPs, scoring titles because he believed he was better than everyone else, and wanted to prove it through competition.  

If you haven’t seen it I suggest you watch it, and if you’ve watched it, I sure hope it inspired you. Personally after watching this video I realized in order to be successful in life you must believe you are the best, then prove it on the court (the metaphorical court that is).  That drive, and total lack of the hesitation, fear or doubt made MJ unstoppable and if you can emulate that in your life you can be too.

Then you hear things like former Bull teammate, Scottie Pippen saying that LeBron James will be better the Jordan (basically).  Comparisons will be made throughout his career and statistically yes, he may surpass Jordan.  As far as the type of person they are, the commitment and determination they show, and the impact they have on the game is concerned, it’s not even close in my book.  In fact just the other night after making a clutch 3 to tie the game, LeBron gets a chance for the game winner and waves over Dwyane Wade to take the ball.  LeBron will (at this pace) be a hands down hall of famer, but in my eyes he will never surpass Michael Jordan.

I don’t know about you but I’ll be dusting off my basketball shoes for the next few months, imitating that game 6, final seconds shot over Bryon Russell.  So that's sports: from the fan's perspective.

Saints Bounty Scandal Not Shocking

If you have ever played football competitively the idea of trying to take another player out in a game may not surprise you.  I know when I was in high school it wasn’t necessarily a goal to injure a player but if it happened there was an excited buzz throughout the team.  Big hits were glorified not only in the locker room but on SportsCenter too.  Highlights of big hits were played over and over on top plays.

The Saints are just feeding to the type of behavior that was instilled at an early age.  This bounty scandal has shocked a lot of people.  I think this is largely due to the involvement of management and payouts for taking out players of the opposition.  People are saying that Sean Payton and GM Mickey Loomis deserve to be fired, whether its for direct involvement or for ignoring the situation.  I don’t know if I agree with that but they will be reprimanded.  

Look, football is a rough sport.  Offensive players are payed to score.  Defensive players are payed to stop them from scoring.  If fans knew all of the nuances that happen in the locker room and behind the scenes they would probably think a lot less of these athletes.  Believe it or not, players act differently than they do in a press conference. 

I do think that it was wrong to pay defensive players to go out there with the intention of taking out the opposing QB like they did Brett Favre and Kurt Warner.  That being said players are taught at an early age to go out there and hit a player so hard they don’t get up.  Why do you think players like James Harrison keep getting fined for big hits?  He’s been doing it for 15 plus years and you can’t just change instinct like that overnight.  This type of play will take a long time to change and it starts in high schools and colleges.  

The Saints will get punished for this scandal much like the Patriots and spy-gate.  Stuff like this happens a lot more than fans probably realize, the Saints just happened to get caught.

So that's sports: from the fan's perspective.

And It Begins!

The NFL draft and offseason is getting close.  The NBA season is in full swing.  And now Spring Training has started and it is a beautiful time of the year.  That is all.

NL MVP Escapes 50 Game Suspension

Ryan Braun is off the hook; he will not serve his 50 game suspension and is cleared of all charges of using a PED (performance enhancing drug).  Does this mean he is innocent?  I couldn’t tell you.  As fans we have witnessed PED allegations towards our favorite ball players: Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McQwire, Barry Bonds.  Our nation’s pastime has forever gotten a asterisk next to it and it has taken years to try to put the steroid era past us.

Ryan Braun’s acquittal is just the starting point to the debate.  Braun is the first baseball player to ever successfully win an appeal concerning PED allegations.  When addressing his victory Ryan said, “the truth is always relevant and the truth prevailed.”  At times Braun sounded like an old recording of a Rafael Palmeiro court case.

"If I had done this intentionally or unintentionally, I'd be the first one to step up and say I did it," Braun said. "I would bet my life this substance never entered my body."

Braun’s innocence will not keep his name out of the drug testing debate.  His name will be forever linked to it even if he never took any performance enhancing drugs.  It is understandable for him to be upset and if the process was as faulty as he claims, there is a real issue.

It may not be cost efficient for the MLB to fix little process failures but they must be addressed.  There needs to be a more professional system that as Braun states, needs to be held to the same standard of perfection as the ball players.  Issues like this could tarnish a player’s image.  Even if he is wrongfully accused there will always be doubt whether or not a player partook in a PED.  In his statement, Braun makes a good case.  He was consistently tested throughout his career, even twice before in that same season.  There are extensive records of his body weight, time around the bases and training regiment.  His numbers have been consistent for the past five years.  One blip of astronomical levels of testosterone in his body, and Braun gets a target on his back.  It seems odd and deserved looking into, not blasted in the headlines.

I don’t think this will spark in increase in the use of PEDs in the league.  I don’t think that players will feel left behind because they aren’t using them.  This wont be a repeat of the 90’s.  As a whole it seems like the league is doing a better job of enforcing testing now than the were 10-15 years ago.  They have also done a better job of putting these drugs in a negative light.  What I think will transpire from this is an even more bitter relationship between the players and the MLBPA.  Your future as an athlete, your reputation, and livelihood is in the hands of these people conducting the test.  And if they mess up, you the player could the one taking the fall.  It might come down to the players, the MLBPA and the commissioner working together to find a solution to breakdowns such as this.

As a fan we don’t want to hear that a big time athlete is using drugs to improve their game.  It instills to the kids watching that they might not be good enough to play pro ball unless they are “juicing”.  The game has evolved since the 90s.  Fans have accepted that fact that not everyone is going to hit 40 plus homeruns, and you can be a great ball player without it.  

I mean look at movies like “Money Ball”, where an underdog roster competes with teams with big payrolls.  Stories like Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s would not have been better with the inclusion of PED’s.  People appreciate good stories.

So that's sports: from the fan's perspective.