Yes, there is the desire and passion for immediate pleasure, but one of the more overlooked important things about sports is that they exist for the purpose of making memories. Memories. Times, good and bad, to look back upon as we get older and further removed from the days when the games were played. I have always felt this way, which is why I have never understood the “we have nothing to lose” and “all the pressure was on them” mentalities—you have the chance to make a happy memory right in front of you, and you say you have nothing to lose? I wouldn’t want to look thirty years into the past and say, “You know what, we were closed, but nobody expected us to get that far anyway.” Don’t get me wrong; I can appreciate how close I came to accomplishing a goal while acknowledging that the odds against me were strong. But I do not want to enter the situation expecting to be happy with a so-called moral victory. Looking back…that’s what it’s about. Validating your era.
When I look back at the Phillies, the first sports team I ever loved in life, I will smile whenever I think of this current era. In the year my mother died, the Phillies rallied in the midst of a historic collapse by the New York Mets and won the National League East Division title on the last day of the season, which happened to be on my mother’s birthday. Yes, the Rockies swept them out of the playoffs, but nobody outside of Colorado really remembers that anymore. The next season, they again trailed the Mets. They also trailed the Brewers in the wild card standings. They entered a four-game September series at Citizens Bank Park against Milwaukee trailing them by four games. They swept them. And then the Phillies kept winning, this time clinching the division on the day prior to the last day of the season. How could I ever look back on these years and not think about Brett Myers fouling off four CC Sabathia pitches in a row before drawing a walk that set up Shane Victorino’s grand slam (or, for that matter, Jamie Moyer doing the same thing to set up a Victorino grand slam off Johan Santana on Sunday Night Baseball in 2010)? I’ll remember dramatic two-run homeruns off Corey Wade and Jonathan Broxton in Dodger Stadium (“Stairs hits one deep into the night!”). Joe Blanton’s homerun off Edwin Jackson…the Game 5 rain...Pedro Feliz’s RBI single…Utley’s heads up throw to home…Brad Lidge vs. Eric Hinske…Ryan Howard’s game winners in Games 3 and 4 at Coors Field…Rollins’ double off Broxton…Lee’s Game 1 in Yankee Stadium…the perfect game…the no-hitter against Cincinnati…Chase Utley hitting the first World Series homerun in the history of 2 different stadiums.
On a personal level, I got to watch my team play as the first defending World Series champion to play in the new Yankee Stadium, and I did it on my honeymoon. I went up to Citi Field and saw our ace throw 8 shutout innings against the hated Mets. I was able to be there in person as Doc Halladay threw a complete game 2-hit shutout in Nationals Park to clinch the division in 2010. This season, I went to Opening Day for the first time in my life. Later, I sat in the stands as Clifton Phifer dealt a 12-strikeout, 3-hit shutout on only 99 pitches. And I was able to take my sister to a game on her birthday and watch her favorite pitcher, Cole Hamels, toss a gem. This was a great era for me.
Of course there were some bad times. Brad Lidge vs. Johnny Damon. Pedro vs. Matsui. But overall, this has been a great time. And I’m OK with it
In the Wild Card era, there have been 12 seasons (20 total teams) from the National League to win 97 games. Only three times has one of those teams made the World Series. On two of those occasions, all three division winners were 97-win teams. The playoffs are a crapshoot. The Phillies’ loss last night means that 2011 is the 13th season out of the last 15 in which the top seed in the National League playoffs did not win the pennant. Neither of them won the World Series. Meanwhile, the National League Wild Card team has gone on to the World Series 6 times in the last 14 years (the Cardinals can make it 7 out of 15) and won it all twice. These statistics are not offered as excuses. No, they show how much harder it is to achieve postseason success in the modern era. They show how difficult it is to validate your era in modern Major League Baseball.
We saw the Phillies win a World Series and then go back to the Fall Classic the following year. I know it hurts for us Phillies fans right now, but we all know it doesn’t hurt nearly as much as 2009 or 2010, especially 2009. With everyone getting older and Ryan Howard’s injury, I’m pretty sure this is the end. It was a great run. And we did more with it than most teams would have. The Cardinals were a bad matchup, and they out-hit and out-pitched the Phillies. It happens.
I’m proud of my team and what they have accomplished over the past five years. And what they did for me the summer my mother died and my wife was in chemotherapy cannot be overstated. This group will always be my boys.
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
MLB Awards
One of the biggest problems that I have with Major League Baseball’s regular season awards is that the voters tend to take the entire season into consideration when the last 3 or 4 weeks of the season are actually irrelevant to many award contenders. Very often, September games are formalities. Let’s take the American League MVP race, for instance. The top 5 contenders for the award seem to be Jose Bautista, Jacoby Ellsbury, Curtis Granderson, Dustin Pedroia, and Justin Verlander. Today, Granderson is viewed as less in contention for the MVP than he was at the end of August. Why? Because his numbers fell off. To that, I say “So what?”
The Yankees have been a virtual postseason lock since the All-Star break. The second half of the season has only strengthened their hold on a playoff spot. Essentially, their place in October was sewn up before Labor Day. Why should anything that happened after that point count for or against Curtis Granderson’s MVP case? It makes no sense to me.
During the early portions of the season, everyone has—or appears to have—the same goal of trying to make it into October. That changes by the end of August. Don’t get me wrong. I am not arguing that only players for contenders should be considered for the league MVP. What I am saying is that players on teams fighting for playoff berths have different September goals than those on teams already assured of playoff spots and those on teams just playing out the string. The Yankees woke up on September 1 with a 8.5-game lead on Tampa Bay for the American League Wild Card. Honestly, can you count anything against any Yankee player—A.J. Burnett excepted—for their play from then to now?
The same thing can be said about the National League Cy Young Award. Clayton Kershaw is a clear and deserving winner this year. He would get my vote. I know some voters, however, will pay attention to how Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee closed the season. Again, why? The Phillies swept the Braves in a three-game series from September 5-7. The sweep increased the Phillies’ lead in the National League East from 7.5 to 10.5 games. The race was over at that point. The last 3 weeks for the Phillies was about getting & staying healthy and keeping everyone sharp for the playoffs. It was not about going out there every fifth day and shutting down opposing offenses.
These awards should be judged based upon the contending players’ effective seasons. To me, it makes no sense to do it any other way.
The Yankees have been a virtual postseason lock since the All-Star break. The second half of the season has only strengthened their hold on a playoff spot. Essentially, their place in October was sewn up before Labor Day. Why should anything that happened after that point count for or against Curtis Granderson’s MVP case? It makes no sense to me.
During the early portions of the season, everyone has—or appears to have—the same goal of trying to make it into October. That changes by the end of August. Don’t get me wrong. I am not arguing that only players for contenders should be considered for the league MVP. What I am saying is that players on teams fighting for playoff berths have different September goals than those on teams already assured of playoff spots and those on teams just playing out the string. The Yankees woke up on September 1 with a 8.5-game lead on Tampa Bay for the American League Wild Card. Honestly, can you count anything against any Yankee player—A.J. Burnett excepted—for their play from then to now?
The same thing can be said about the National League Cy Young Award. Clayton Kershaw is a clear and deserving winner this year. He would get my vote. I know some voters, however, will pay attention to how Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee closed the season. Again, why? The Phillies swept the Braves in a three-game series from September 5-7. The sweep increased the Phillies’ lead in the National League East from 7.5 to 10.5 games. The race was over at that point. The last 3 weeks for the Phillies was about getting & staying healthy and keeping everyone sharp for the playoffs. It was not about going out there every fifth day and shutting down opposing offenses.
These awards should be judged based upon the contending players’ effective seasons. To me, it makes no sense to do it any other way.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Ballparks
Last night, my wife and I enjoyed PNC Park in Pittsburgh for the First Time:. It was nice, but not nearly as nice as I had been led to believe. Throughout the game, I had the feeling I was in an oversized minor league park. Maybe that’s what people like about it. For me, that was a negative. But I did like the place. As long as I live in the East, I could see myself making an annual or biannual trip there.
It was the 11th Major League ballpark she and I have visited together. I hope we can add Progressive Field in Cleveland next year. Or even Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati—then we could go to the aquarium in Newport, Kentucky, my favorite aquarium in America.
Anyway, I figured I should rank the ballparks I’ve been to so far in my life. I’ve been to 15 overall. * denotes parks I’ve been to with my wife…for the 2 of you who care. For the record, I also saw two games at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, but they were in the Olympics.
It was the 11th Major League ballpark she and I have visited together. I hope we can add Progressive Field in Cleveland next year. Or even Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati—then we could go to the aquarium in Newport, Kentucky, my favorite aquarium in America.
Anyway, I figured I should rank the ballparks I’ve been to so far in my life. I’ve been to 15 overall. * denotes parks I’ve been to with my wife…for the 2 of you who care. For the record, I also saw two games at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, but they were in the Olympics.
- *AT&T Park, San Francisco, California
First Time: April 6, 2005
Favorite Memory: Seeing Willie Mays when the Giants celebrated their great outfielders during their 50 years in San Francisco celebration
Best Game: August 9, 2008—Giants 3, Dodgers 2 (10 innings)
- Yankee Stadium II, The Bronx, New York (retired)
First Time: May 17, 2008
Favorite Memory: The last time we were there, my father, sister, and I stood by our seats for an hour after the game ended and trying to savor the moment.
Best Game: July 5, 2008—Yankees 2, Red Sox 1
- *Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
First Time: May 29, 2004
Favorite Memory: Walking through Ashburn Alley with my sister on Opening Day 2011 and discovering that the Phillies were going to parade into the stadium and having a front row view.
Best Game: April 1, 2011—Phillies 5, Astros 4
- *Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
First Time: August 6, 2011 (only time)
Favorite Memory: Walking through the tunnel from the concourse and into the seating area, finding our seats in right field foul territory, looking out over the right field stands, and knowing that Lou Gehrig had hit one over that wall as a high schooler.
Best Game: August 6, 2011—Cubs 11, Reds 4
- *Yankee Stadium III, The Bronx, New York
First Time: May 23, 2009 (only time)
Favorite Memory: John Mayberry, Jr.’s first Major League homerun off Andy Pettitte.
Best Game: May 23, 2009—Yankees 5, Phillies 4
- Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
First Time: April 15, 1994 (only time)
Favorite Memory: Seeing Frank Thomas hit a homerun off Roger Clemens
Best Game: April 15, 1994—Red Sox 5, White Sox 3
- *Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
First Time: May 25, 2008
Favorite Memory: Realizing I was going to see the Major League debut of a top pitching prospect (Clayton Kershaw)
Best Game: May 25, 2008—Dodgers 4, Cardinals 3
- *PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
First Time: August 20, 2011 (only time)
Favorite Memory: Seeing Aroldis Chapman hit 101mph on a fastball
Best Game: August 20, 2011—Pirates 5, Reds 3
- *Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
First Time: July 31, 1993
Favorite Memory: Going to my first doubleheader
Best Game: August 10, 2011—Orioles 6, White Sox 4 (10 innings)
- *Citi Field, Flushing, New York
First Time: August 14, 2010 (only time)
Favorite Memory: Seeing Roy Halladay pitch for the First Time:.
Best Game: August 14, 2010—Phillies 4, Mets 0
- *Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
First Time: April 8, 2010
Favorite Memory: Being in the park for Roy Halladay’s complete game 2-hitter to clinch the 2010 National League East for the Phillies.
Best Game: July 31, 2010—Nationals 7, Phillies 5
- Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California (retired)
First Time: April 23, 1994 (only time)
Favorite Memory: The First Time: my father and I saw a game together outside of Philly
Best Game: April 23, 1994—Giants 10, Mets 1
- *US Cellular Field, Chicago, Illinois
First Time: June 26, 2009 (only time)
Favorite Memory: Seeing the wedding congratulations the my in-laws paid to put on the big board for my wife and me
Best Game: June 26, 2009—Cubs 5, White Sox 4
- *McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California
First Time: May 16, 2005
Favorite Memory: My First Time: seeing a Philadelphia team play outside of Philly
Best Game: July 7, 2008—Athletics 4, Mariners 3
- Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (retired)
First Time: Who knows? I was young.
Favorite Memory: Seeing Dwight Gooden and Steve Carlton face each other. I will never see a better pitching matchup.
Best Game: April 19, 1985—Mets 1, Phillies 0
Monday, July 18, 2011
Bochy
I don’t watch award shows, but I often hit the internet the next morning to see the winners. Even though they didn’t surprise me, some of the results made me shake my head. Two of those were won by the Dallas Mavericks. One of them was their winning the Best Team award. I’ll discuss that in a separate post. This one is about Rick Carlisle’s winning the Best Coach/Manager award. The nominees in this category were Jim Calhoun, Rick Carlisle, Gene Chizik, Mike McCarthy, and Dom Starsia. Where was Bruce Bochy on that list? I understand that the last baseball season ended 8 months ago, but, frankly, I don’t see a compelling argument that any major American sports coach has done a better job over the past 12 months than the manager of the San Francisco Giants. Let me make my case.
As we all know, last year’s Giants won the World Series for the first time since moving from New York to California. They were not a powerhouse. Did you realize that this team went 14 consecutive games without scoring as many as 5 runs? Did you know those games went from September 26 to Game 4 of the NLCS? The Giants went 10-4 in those games. No matter who’s on your pitching staff, you don’t win that many games down the stretch and in the playoffs with a putrid offense without some shrewd managerial moves. But that’s easy stuff; you can see that by looking at the schedule.
To see Bochy’s genius with the 2010 Giants, you have to know the team and the three head cases in the starting rotation. Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, and Barry Zito are three of the most inconsistent, nausea-inducing starting pitchers of the current era. Bochy’s first championship decision was to keep Zito, the $126 million man, off the postseason roster and use rookie Madison Bumgarner as the fourth starter. Who knows what the Giants would have gotten from Zito, but Bumgarner pitched brilliantly in his two road starts, the NLDS clincher in Atlanta and an 8-inning shutout performance to in Arlington to put the Giants up 3-1 in the World Series.
Bochy’s next key decision involved his utilization of Cain and Sanchez in the postseason rotation. Sanchez is the kind of pitcher who’s either great or awful; either he’s got it or he doesn’t. And you can usually tell what kind of game you’re getting out of Sanchez within the first 20 pitches. He’ll throw a complete game shutout one outing and get shelled for 5 runs in 2 innings the next, and it doesn’t matter whether he’s at home or on the road. Matt Cain, on the other hand, sometimes lets things get to him. You can see the annoyance on his face. Cain has always been the type of pitcher who has a difficult time recovering; once things start to go wrong, they stay wrong. And if you look at his splits throughout his entire career, you’ll see that he is much better in AT&T Park than he is pitching on the road. Knowing these two pitchers, Bochy made the same decision that I would have—he manipulated his rotation so that Cain would not pitch on the road. As a result, Cain went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in the 2010 postseason.
The key series for the Giants was the NLCS versus Philadelphia. Going into the series, I thought the Giants’ only chance to win was if they won the series in 4 or 5 games. Lincecum was going to start Games 1 and 5; Bumgarner was going to start Game 4. Cain and Sanchez would start Games 2, 3, 6, and 7 in some combination. The Phillies were going to rock Sanchez in his starts; I considered that a given. And if Cain ever pitched in Citizens Bank Park, he would get shelled as well. No matter what, the Giants were going to lose Game 2. Bochy made the decision to start Sanchez in Game 2, which would allow Cain to start Game 3 in San Francisco. As expected, Sanchez lost Game 2. Cain shut the Phillies out in Game 3. Lincecum lost to Roy Halladay in Game 5, which brought the series back to Philadelphia. At that point, I thought the Phillies were going to win the series. I knew they were going to get to Sanchez in Game 6. I figured they’d light up Cain the next night. Bochy responded by managing Game 6 as if his life depended on it.
Sanchez gave up 3 hits, a walk, a wild pitch, and 2 runs in the first inning. San Francisco tied it up in the top of the third. In the bottom of that inning, Sanchez walked the leadoff batter then hit the second batter. Benches cleared and tempers flared when Utley was hit by the pitch. Bochy knew the Sanchez meltdown had come, and immediately removed him from the game. Not many managers would remove a starting pitcher in the third inning of a 2-2 game while leading the series. He did, and it saved his team’s season. This was the game the Giants had to win. Bochy used Bumgarner on two days’ rest to get a couple of shutout innings. Once the Giants got a lead, he used Lincecum as his bridge to closer Brian Wilson to secure the pennant.
I’m a Phillies fan, and as I write this, I’m reliving Game 6. I don’t understand how Bochy pulled that off. I don’t think any other manager would have done what he did. Benching Zito for the playoffs for an unproven rookie? Going out of his way to make sure Cain never pitched on the road? Using 2 starting pitchers in relief while leading the series?
Try and convince me he wasn’t the coach of the year. Good luck.
As we all know, last year’s Giants won the World Series for the first time since moving from New York to California. They were not a powerhouse. Did you realize that this team went 14 consecutive games without scoring as many as 5 runs? Did you know those games went from September 26 to Game 4 of the NLCS? The Giants went 10-4 in those games. No matter who’s on your pitching staff, you don’t win that many games down the stretch and in the playoffs with a putrid offense without some shrewd managerial moves. But that’s easy stuff; you can see that by looking at the schedule.
To see Bochy’s genius with the 2010 Giants, you have to know the team and the three head cases in the starting rotation. Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, and Barry Zito are three of the most inconsistent, nausea-inducing starting pitchers of the current era. Bochy’s first championship decision was to keep Zito, the $126 million man, off the postseason roster and use rookie Madison Bumgarner as the fourth starter. Who knows what the Giants would have gotten from Zito, but Bumgarner pitched brilliantly in his two road starts, the NLDS clincher in Atlanta and an 8-inning shutout performance to in Arlington to put the Giants up 3-1 in the World Series.
Bochy’s next key decision involved his utilization of Cain and Sanchez in the postseason rotation. Sanchez is the kind of pitcher who’s either great or awful; either he’s got it or he doesn’t. And you can usually tell what kind of game you’re getting out of Sanchez within the first 20 pitches. He’ll throw a complete game shutout one outing and get shelled for 5 runs in 2 innings the next, and it doesn’t matter whether he’s at home or on the road. Matt Cain, on the other hand, sometimes lets things get to him. You can see the annoyance on his face. Cain has always been the type of pitcher who has a difficult time recovering; once things start to go wrong, they stay wrong. And if you look at his splits throughout his entire career, you’ll see that he is much better in AT&T Park than he is pitching on the road. Knowing these two pitchers, Bochy made the same decision that I would have—he manipulated his rotation so that Cain would not pitch on the road. As a result, Cain went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in the 2010 postseason.
The key series for the Giants was the NLCS versus Philadelphia. Going into the series, I thought the Giants’ only chance to win was if they won the series in 4 or 5 games. Lincecum was going to start Games 1 and 5; Bumgarner was going to start Game 4. Cain and Sanchez would start Games 2, 3, 6, and 7 in some combination. The Phillies were going to rock Sanchez in his starts; I considered that a given. And if Cain ever pitched in Citizens Bank Park, he would get shelled as well. No matter what, the Giants were going to lose Game 2. Bochy made the decision to start Sanchez in Game 2, which would allow Cain to start Game 3 in San Francisco. As expected, Sanchez lost Game 2. Cain shut the Phillies out in Game 3. Lincecum lost to Roy Halladay in Game 5, which brought the series back to Philadelphia. At that point, I thought the Phillies were going to win the series. I knew they were going to get to Sanchez in Game 6. I figured they’d light up Cain the next night. Bochy responded by managing Game 6 as if his life depended on it.
Sanchez gave up 3 hits, a walk, a wild pitch, and 2 runs in the first inning. San Francisco tied it up in the top of the third. In the bottom of that inning, Sanchez walked the leadoff batter then hit the second batter. Benches cleared and tempers flared when Utley was hit by the pitch. Bochy knew the Sanchez meltdown had come, and immediately removed him from the game. Not many managers would remove a starting pitcher in the third inning of a 2-2 game while leading the series. He did, and it saved his team’s season. This was the game the Giants had to win. Bochy used Bumgarner on two days’ rest to get a couple of shutout innings. Once the Giants got a lead, he used Lincecum as his bridge to closer Brian Wilson to secure the pennant.
I’m a Phillies fan, and as I write this, I’m reliving Game 6. I don’t understand how Bochy pulled that off. I don’t think any other manager would have done what he did. Benching Zito for the playoffs for an unproven rookie? Going out of his way to make sure Cain never pitched on the road? Using 2 starting pitchers in relief while leading the series?
Try and convince me he wasn’t the coach of the year. Good luck.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The Strasburg Injury
Pitchers are scary, especially the young ones. Major League managers, coaches, scouts, and front office personnel constantly remind themselves that nothing is ever certain with a pitcher. It could all come crashing down with one pitch. Fans are much less cautious, but they still hold back their excitement when it comes to pitchers. Once in a while, a guy comes along who makes everyone throw caution to the wind. This June, that guy arrived in the District of Columbia. His name is Stephen Strasburg, and he arrived being touted as the best pitching prospect in at least thirty years.
I’m one who never buys the hype. I don’t believe in any player until I see him/her with my own eyes. Rasheed Wallace was the national player of the year in high school, but when I saw him play, I thought he lacked the aggressiveness required to be a big-time player. Sports Illustrated called 11th-grade LeBron James the best high school basketball player ever; I did not believe until I saw him score his career high in Trenton against Trevor Ariza’s high school team. I saw Dwight Gooden early in the 1985 season and came away convinced I had just seen the best pitcher ever. For me, seeing isn’t believing, but in sports, there is no believing without seeing. As early as his last few starts at San Diego State, I wanted to see what this Strasburg kid was all about.
The only minor league games ESPN ever televises are the Futures all-star games held every July. This spring, however, the network televised the man’s first minor league start live. I shook my head. Who knew how good the kid would be. But Strasburg dominated that start. And most of his others. Strasburg started five times for AA Harrisburg. He went 3-1 and his ERA was 1.64. in 22 innings, he struck out 27 batters while walking only 6. When he moved up to AAA Syracuse, he was more dominant. In six starts at Syracuse, Strasburg went 4-1 with a 1.08 ERA, 38 strikeouts, and 7 walks in 33 ⅓ innings. It was clear the man was ready for the majors.
I’d been following Strasburg’s minor league starts and, since I was in the DC metro area, wanted to do all I could to witness his first start in person. As June neared, June 4 was rumored to be the date of Strasburg’s first big league start. Everyone had heard that rumor; by the time I bought tickets, the closest seats I could get were left field foul territory. Then I heard June 8, and bought tickets immediately. Twenty rows behind the visitors’ on deck circle. Great seats.
June 8 was the day. I’ll never forget it. It was a World Series atmosphere in a game between two last place teams. That is no hyperbole. Since coming to Washington in 2005, the Nationals have avoided last place only once. That was 2007, when they finished a meager two games out of last place. Nothing good has ever happened for the franchise. The team, the front office, and the fans knew that, in many ways, it was Strasburg or bust. The team and city needed him to be great. They needed the kid to deliver the goods. My wife and I arrived at Nationals Park a full two hours before first pitch. There was already a buzz around the stadium. We went in as soon as we picked up our tickets from Will Call and found the place already half full. It was electric. I’ve been to a World Series game, and June 8, 2010 really felt the same.
And in that first start…my goodness! By the second inning I was jumping up and down. By the third inning was hugging people I’d never seen before and would never see again. By the fourth inning I was hoarse. And by the fifth, I was shaking my wife so hard I’m sure I bruised her shoulders. By the time Strasburg’s night ended in the seventh inning, I wondered if the kid had been underhyped. 7 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs (via a homerun off a 91mph changeup), 14 strikeouts, and no walks on 94 pitches in his first Major League game.
ESPN broadcast live from Nationals Park that day. There was a two-hour Baseball Tonight special before and after the game. The MLB Network broadcast the game live across the country. All for this one special pitcher who made a believer out of everyone who saw him pitch. All that pressure on him, and, boy, did he live up to it.
That guy does not come along too often.
And that’s what makes Strasburg’s ulnar collateral ligament tear so sad. I will not go so far as to call it tragic—too many guys have come back from Tommy John surgery—but it is very deflating. The kid can come back. He can have a great career. I fully expect him to be great when he pitches again in 2012. Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals had Tommy John surgery in 2007 then finished second in Cy Young Award voting last year and is 14-4 with a 2.93 ERA so far this year. Two of the other leading candidates for this year’s National League Cy Young, Tim Hudson and Josh Johnson, have also going through the Tommy John procedure. Carpenter underwent the procedure when he was 32 years old. Strasburg is only six weeks past his 22nd birthday.
Strasburg’s comeback is anything but a sure thing, but it is a probable thing. When he comes back, it won’t be the same feeling. He won’t be that 21-year old kid I saw on June 8, but he’ll still be special.
I can’t wait.
I’m one who never buys the hype. I don’t believe in any player until I see him/her with my own eyes. Rasheed Wallace was the national player of the year in high school, but when I saw him play, I thought he lacked the aggressiveness required to be a big-time player. Sports Illustrated called 11th-grade LeBron James the best high school basketball player ever; I did not believe until I saw him score his career high in Trenton against Trevor Ariza’s high school team. I saw Dwight Gooden early in the 1985 season and came away convinced I had just seen the best pitcher ever. For me, seeing isn’t believing, but in sports, there is no believing without seeing. As early as his last few starts at San Diego State, I wanted to see what this Strasburg kid was all about.
The only minor league games ESPN ever televises are the Futures all-star games held every July. This spring, however, the network televised the man’s first minor league start live. I shook my head. Who knew how good the kid would be. But Strasburg dominated that start. And most of his others. Strasburg started five times for AA Harrisburg. He went 3-1 and his ERA was 1.64. in 22 innings, he struck out 27 batters while walking only 6. When he moved up to AAA Syracuse, he was more dominant. In six starts at Syracuse, Strasburg went 4-1 with a 1.08 ERA, 38 strikeouts, and 7 walks in 33 ⅓ innings. It was clear the man was ready for the majors.
I’d been following Strasburg’s minor league starts and, since I was in the DC metro area, wanted to do all I could to witness his first start in person. As June neared, June 4 was rumored to be the date of Strasburg’s first big league start. Everyone had heard that rumor; by the time I bought tickets, the closest seats I could get were left field foul territory. Then I heard June 8, and bought tickets immediately. Twenty rows behind the visitors’ on deck circle. Great seats.
June 8 was the day. I’ll never forget it. It was a World Series atmosphere in a game between two last place teams. That is no hyperbole. Since coming to Washington in 2005, the Nationals have avoided last place only once. That was 2007, when they finished a meager two games out of last place. Nothing good has ever happened for the franchise. The team, the front office, and the fans knew that, in many ways, it was Strasburg or bust. The team and city needed him to be great. They needed the kid to deliver the goods. My wife and I arrived at Nationals Park a full two hours before first pitch. There was already a buzz around the stadium. We went in as soon as we picked up our tickets from Will Call and found the place already half full. It was electric. I’ve been to a World Series game, and June 8, 2010 really felt the same.
And in that first start…my goodness! By the second inning I was jumping up and down. By the third inning was hugging people I’d never seen before and would never see again. By the fourth inning I was hoarse. And by the fifth, I was shaking my wife so hard I’m sure I bruised her shoulders. By the time Strasburg’s night ended in the seventh inning, I wondered if the kid had been underhyped. 7 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs (via a homerun off a 91mph changeup), 14 strikeouts, and no walks on 94 pitches in his first Major League game.
ESPN broadcast live from Nationals Park that day. There was a two-hour Baseball Tonight special before and after the game. The MLB Network broadcast the game live across the country. All for this one special pitcher who made a believer out of everyone who saw him pitch. All that pressure on him, and, boy, did he live up to it.
That guy does not come along too often.
And that’s what makes Strasburg’s ulnar collateral ligament tear so sad. I will not go so far as to call it tragic—too many guys have come back from Tommy John surgery—but it is very deflating. The kid can come back. He can have a great career. I fully expect him to be great when he pitches again in 2012. Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals had Tommy John surgery in 2007 then finished second in Cy Young Award voting last year and is 14-4 with a 2.93 ERA so far this year. Two of the other leading candidates for this year’s National League Cy Young, Tim Hudson and Josh Johnson, have also going through the Tommy John procedure. Carpenter underwent the procedure when he was 32 years old. Strasburg is only six weeks past his 22nd birthday.
Strasburg’s comeback is anything but a sure thing, but it is a probable thing. When he comes back, it won’t be the same feeling. He won’t be that 21-year old kid I saw on June 8, but he’ll still be special.
I can’t wait.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Need Some Get Back
When you wake up near the end of August two and a half games out of first place in your division and tied for the wild card, you feel pretty good about your chances to reach the postseason. But the playoffs are furthest thing from a shoo in. The Phillies were behind in the standings during August and September of 2007 and 2008. Each time, they battled back to win the National League East. Although they were in first place last year every day from May 29 through the end of the season, the Phillies’ current situation is very familiar to them.
The team cannot rely on the comebacks of two and three seasons ago. If the 2010 Phillies reach the playoffs, it will be because they found the wherewithal and perseverance to win games down the stretch. The 2007, 2008, and 2009 division champions could not be put away. Thus far, the current Phillies have shown the same thing. They have yet to display, however, the ability to take advantage of the openings their competitors are providing them.
The Phillies of recent past had a knack for getting the most out of every opportunity down the home stretch of the season. This season’s version will have to get that back. Yesterday showed that they don’t have it yet. In an afternoon game, Braves, the team the Phillies are chasing in the East, blew a 10-1 lead in Colorado. The Rockies won 12-10. At the same time, the Central Division-leading Reds built a 10-1 lead in San Francisco. The Giants began the day tied with the Phillies in the Wild Card standings. After a six-run eighth, the San Francisco took an 11-10 lead into the ninth inning. The Reds pulled off a comeback of their own and won 12-11 in extra inning. The events of the crazy afternoon gave the Phillies an opportunity to pick up a game on each of the teams fighting them for a postseason spot. With ace Roy Halladay headed to the mound to face a horrible team like the Astros, it seemed like a perfect scenario for the Phillies. Nope. The Astros won in Philly for the third consecutive day.
So far, it seems like the 2010 Phillies just don’t have it. But the rest of the National League is letting them hang around. This is the time for them to slay the two time defending league champions. If the Phillies are still in it on September 10, they just might get it back.
The team cannot rely on the comebacks of two and three seasons ago. If the 2010 Phillies reach the playoffs, it will be because they found the wherewithal and perseverance to win games down the stretch. The 2007, 2008, and 2009 division champions could not be put away. Thus far, the current Phillies have shown the same thing. They have yet to display, however, the ability to take advantage of the openings their competitors are providing them.
The Phillies of recent past had a knack for getting the most out of every opportunity down the home stretch of the season. This season’s version will have to get that back. Yesterday showed that they don’t have it yet. In an afternoon game, Braves, the team the Phillies are chasing in the East, blew a 10-1 lead in Colorado. The Rockies won 12-10. At the same time, the Central Division-leading Reds built a 10-1 lead in San Francisco. The Giants began the day tied with the Phillies in the Wild Card standings. After a six-run eighth, the San Francisco took an 11-10 lead into the ninth inning. The Reds pulled off a comeback of their own and won 12-11 in extra inning. The events of the crazy afternoon gave the Phillies an opportunity to pick up a game on each of the teams fighting them for a postseason spot. With ace Roy Halladay headed to the mound to face a horrible team like the Astros, it seemed like a perfect scenario for the Phillies. Nope. The Astros won in Philly for the third consecutive day.
So far, it seems like the 2010 Phillies just don’t have it. But the rest of the National League is letting them hang around. This is the time for them to slay the two time defending league champions. If the Phillies are still in it on September 10, they just might get it back.
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