The Name’s Ron Washington
The Rangers manager has to be a little worried about this hangover. Ron Washington said his team doesn’t feel such things, although I bet a few of them have had some pretty nasty hangovers in their past…
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The Rangers probably won’t be hungover because no one was out celebrating. Texas certainly isn’t dead but 2-0 is not a good spot to be in. I like the Rangers in game three at home. They must get two to survive but I believe in order to win the series they need all three. Losing the Cliff Lee game is what really hurt. When you open up a series on the road you hope to grab one. Lee getting shelled wasn’t only surprising, it was devastating.
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Josh Hamilton and crew can still turn it around and I’ll be willing to bet we get at least six games out of this thing. If the Rangers can win three in a row than I’d put money on seven. Game three features Colby Lewis and Jonathan Sanchez. I really have always thought Sanchez was much better than people give him credit for (the guy threw a no-no). However, Lewis is a stud. If Colby is knocked out early it could get real bad because we have seen that bullpen. Stinky. But if he can stick around until late and the Rangers can get that offense going like game one, they’ll start to make it a series.
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But if they lose game three and go to the gauntlet of 0-3, o-v-e-r. Boston did the climb once in the 2004 ALCS against New York. That will never ever happen again. So Texas, get it done.
Top 5 MLB Players of All-Time
Albert Pujols has had quite a career. His latest homers have made me decide to rank my best five of all-time…and I’m starting at the top.
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1. Babe Ruth. It’s easy. He will always be the best homerun hitter to anyone who knows the game of baseball. Hank Aaron passed him and so did Bonds, with steroids. Yet this guy was a pitcher until about the sixth year of his career. In his final year as a pitcher he hit 29 homers. If he’d of had more plate appearances in those years, Ruth would have 900 big ones.
Putting aside his 714 homeruns, 2,213 RBIs, 2,174 runs, and a career batting average of .342, the guy was a dominant pitcher too. Who else can you say that about!? Best ever.
2. Willie Mays. If you haven’t mimicked the over the shoulder Mays catch, you’re not a baseball fan. He had a glove. Actually, he had 12 gold ones, in a row. We often forget how good of a hitter he was because of all the dazzling catches he had.
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500 doubles, 660 homeruns, and the second best to ever grace the field. He was a great player but he’s an even better man. When he sits down to tell old stories interviewers become children again. Begging to hear more stories from the once-titled MVP. Baseball knowledge files out of his mouth like carbon dioxide does out of mine. Truly, a great.
3. Nolan Ryan. Cy Young was great but the award should be called Nolan Ryan. When a pitcher gets 250 strikeouts it’s fantastic. So, when a player eclipses that eight times what’s that?
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Ryan was the intimidater. He put guys in headlocks when he was balding so age wasn’t a factor. When he was 42, he won 16 games and struck out batters. No one does those things anymore. That’s why he’s the best pitcher of all-time.
4. Honus Wagner. So far I listed a pitcher and two outfielders but this guy was a shortstop. It’s arguably the hardest position to play in the field because right handers hit to the left and right of position number six.
Honus didn’t hit homeruns but he had a few RBIs. He also stole 722 bases in his day. Fun facts: his baseball card is one of the most valued of all-time, he was only in the post season twice, and his real name isn’t Honus it’s John Peter. If you’re ever bored look up Wagner’s stats because their ridiculous.
5. Ted Williams. I would put Bonds here but he played during the most difficult era to describe in baseball history. Williams was the last to hit .400 in a season and no one will ever do it again. Period.
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He served our country over playing ball and for that we thank him. On top of his good character, there was a mighty fine player. He was a true power-hitter and RBI machine. However, he had a clean average to go with it. He only eclipsed 50 strikeouts three times and it was in his first four seasons. Take that Adam Dunn! Finally, there’s something to say for playing your entire career with one team. Boston was lucky to have him.
These players will never be duplicated. They’ll probably never be topped either. Guys like Bonds and A-Rod can try but they did it the wrong way. Pujols could end up on this list if he keeps up what has become the best 10 year stretch ever. Who knows, maybe a Nationals player could make it on here. Probably not after a crucial arm injury though. Ouch Washington.
The Trade Deadline- Yankees, Cards, and more Yankees?
The trade deadline is over and someone made out like a bandit. Of course, it was the Yankees.
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Lance Berkman and his 326 homeruns landed in New York. The rich always seem to get richer. Berkman is on his worst stretch this year and no one can dispute that. But listen, is this even fair? What in the world did Houston get for this? It isn’t nothing but it sure isn’t enough for the SWITCH-HITTING, ALL-STAR-PLAYING, HOMERUN-SMASHING BERKMAN!
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Melancon, I’ve read, is a speedy youngster with a slightly above average bat and the other guy is a reliever. Neither player has spent any time at the big league level. The Astros are dumb and will be eating the Carlos Lee contract while they sit in the basement of the terrible NL Central. STRIKE ONE!
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The Cardinals traded a fan favorite in Ryan Ludwick. This one made sense for everyone except for the St. Louie fans, most likely. The Cards right fielder often found himself on the DL except for a phenomenal season in ’08, he hit 37 bombs and batted just under .300.
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He goes to SD where they get the Red Birds a starting pitcher from the Indians in a three team deal. I like Westbrook but he is a lot like Luddy-injury prone. So, the two teams swap DL plagued players. The Pads needed a bat and the Cardinals needed a pitcher to replace the oft injured Lohse and Penny. Cards fans won’t like losing the hard-playing Ludwick but they should be happy the team is most likely ending the awful Jeff Suppan experiment. STRIKE TWO!
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The Yanks landed Berkman but also Kerry Wood. He can strikeout batters but his arm is built like an Jenga tower 30 minutes in to the game. Look out! In a year and a half with Cleveland he’s kept his ERA at around 5.00 which isn’t bad for a closer. And he’s pitched a whopping 75 innings. What are the Yanks doing?
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I’ve never liked Wood. People think he’s worth more than he is. He was always a decent number two or three starter but no more. Then the injuries came and he went to the pen. Now, he’s a glorified setup man. That’s all. STRIKE THREE AND I’M OUT!
George Steinbrenner Was a Tough Boss, But a Winner
His teams were unbelievably talented. His players highly overpaid. His managers mistreated to say the least.
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He demanded excellence and if you couldn’t grant him that, you weren’t his man. George Steinbrenner wanted to win a World Series every season. Bottom line. Even if you won him a title, it didn’t guarantee you’d be the guy forever.
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Joe Torre managed the Yankees for 12 years. He wasn’t brought back after a decade with no titles even though he brought them four. Billy Martin was the guy five different times. George would hire and fire Martin constantly because of disagreements. This was depicted well in ESPN’s The Bronx is Burning.
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But there was one thing every fan should remember, Steinbrenner cared more about winning than money. Some of those fat cats have their billions and that’s not enough. They want more. They want fans paying out the rear end. George wanted his to enjoy their 27-time World Champion New York Yankees. If it cost a few managers there job so be it.
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Only the best for the best city in the world. Well done Mr. Steinbrenner.
MLB Division Leaders 2010
This time a year ago every division in baseball had a different leader. Now, not every team that was leading at this point went on to win the division but it proves that the MLB season is a marathon not a sprint.
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What surprises me the most? The NL West has the Pads in first when in ’09 it was LA. San Diego should hold onto their slugger Adrian Gonzales and closer Heath Bell to keep this dream alive.
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Then there’s the NL Central. The Cards are a favorite this year but a year ago it was Milwaukee that was running the show. The Red Birds would go on to get Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday along with Julio Lugo to solidify the Central late in the season. This year the Reds need to make some moves if they wish to put themselves ahead of the Birds.
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The Braves lead the East because the ’09 team at this point is injured to hell. The Phillies are losing players left and right and now Chase Utley is out for who knows how long. I still think Philidelphia comes back to win the division.
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As for the American League, we were talking Angels last year. Now the Rangers are the best team in baseball. Don’t get too carried away. I’ll still stick with my Mariners pick but it’s looking bleak. They’ll probably trade Lee.
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The Yanks are in fist but Boston was last year. I’d like to see the Rays make a run but they need to get it in gear. Boston and New York are outplaying TB.
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Finally, that AL Central. The Twins are running the show now and I think they’ll win it easily. We were talking Sox and Tigers last year. Mauer and company has it together just like I thought.
My picks aren’t too bad right now. Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers. Yankees, Twins, Mariners. Wild Carders- Giants (get it going!) Red Sox.
