Friday, October 19, 2012
Fan Interest As Silent As The Yankee Bats
What hurt the most was not my ankle; or the sympathy or empathy I might have felt for Derek Sanderson Jeter. It wasn’t even the fly ball that got past Nick Swisher and rolled all the way to the wall. Or even when Brett Gardner grounded out to second to finally put the Bombers in a 0-1 hole. What hurt the most was my view of sections 237, 334, and 434 completely empty. The lack of noise or luster at all when Andy Pettitte emerged from the dugout and took his long slow walk toward the right center field bullpen.
To call Yankee Stadium dead just 20 minutes before the first pitch of game 1 of the 2012 ALCS, would be an understatement. My cold hard bleacher seat also began to hurt my cold hard ass. Sporadic seats were available through the stadium. There were luxury boxes damn near empty.
Where were all the hard-core Yankee fans?
Looking up I saw the good year blimp. I was one of the few reminders that this was a game for all the marbles! The other sign was the boom camera in the batters eye seats, over near the Mohegan Sun Sports Bar.
The offense didn’t give us anything to cheer about. Well not at least until the 9th inning!
By the time Ichrio and Ibanez hit their two run homers in the 9th the stadium was half empty.
My beacher seat was $65.00 on stub-hub. In this economy it should be worth $25.00. For $25.00 I could have filled the stadium with 6 of my closest Yankee fan friends. At least then the Stadium would have been 6 peeps closer to a sell out!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
"USA" An American Sports Fan's Cheer
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E...A...G..L...E...S... EAGLES !!!
It's a chant I have heard in the oddest of places since moving to the Philadelphia area some eight years ago.
It is the marching cry of the Philadelphia Eagles, the cities NFL home team. I hear the cheer around the wood shop, outside my office in late October. I hear it in Jim's Cheese Steaks on South Street. I hear it during summer concerts, at the Camden river front, along the Delaware.
And, alas, I hear it in Citizens Bank Ball Park, during home games for the Philadelphia Phillies.
These “out of context” cheers, misplaced and peculiar, have always made me smile. Yes, crazy, emphatic, drunken sports fans entertain me! The passion and vigor that brings on an EAGLE cheer, shows that the setting for the cry makes no difference.
Sure, the correct placement for such a cheer is Lincoln Financial Field, or "The Link" as Eagles fans call their home. But any substitute host will do to announce a crazy loud-mouth fan’s allegiance.
In my experience, it happens most frequently with the Philadelphia Eagles, but it also happens in other cities, and in other sports too. I remember being at a Yankee game in the late nineties, and in-between innings they showed the Kentucky derby on the Jumbo-tron. The crowed went nuts watching the exciting race. I remember Yankee right fielder Paul O’Neil being locked into the Jumbo-Tron, watching the derby results. But the Kentucky derby and Major League Baseball have virtually no similarities. This “out of context” horse race was just as misplaced and lost on me then, as an Eagles chant at a Phillies game, is lost on me today.
So when I was at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday night May 1st 2011, I immediately thought the chants of: “USA… USA… USA”, were of a sporting related / out of context nature.
It happens all the time, is what I figured!
ESPN’s Sunday night baseball program held the rights to the marquee matchup of the Baseball weekend between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. The final game of the three game set featured Cliff Lee for Philadelphia versus Chris Young for New York. The game represented the Mets last chance to salvage at least one game of the three game set.
The Old Man / TOM / Georgie / Old Man Geo / Geo The Lumber Jack / Pain In The Back Side/, first inquired about Phillies tickets on Thursday afternoon April 28th. I was on my way to a Yankee game that night, and was not too thrilled about the prospect of a Sunday night game, only three days later, especially since I was scheduled to be in New York over the weekend. Never the less, Georgie was hell bent on going, and so I humored him by looking up tickets on Stub-Hub. Lower level seating was economincal enough on Stub Hub for me to pull the trigger and order up two tickets.
TOM met me at my place in South Jersey around 5:30pm on Sunday, and by 5:50pm, we were entering the park.
The skies were overcast, the temperature had a slight chill, and the game was an offensive struggle. Neither team could get anything going with the bats. Fly ball after fly ball would carry to the warning track, before then falling into a fielders glove and go as a recorded out. 15 total fly ball outs had occurred before the 9th inning alone. Against typical occurrence, the South Philly evening air was simply not carrying the ball over the fence on this night. As the ninth inning approached, the game was deadlocked at 1-1. Ryan Howard had just tied the game with an RBI single.
It was just as the eighth inning was concluding, when suddenly, out of the blue, a small cluster of young fans seated several rows behind me, and along the right field line began an enormous cheer. A man keeping score in front of me began cheering too. He was wearing head phones and seemed to have just received some type of news. I assumed the news was sporting related, but I was a bit lost since the game I was at seemed to be the only live action in the world of sports at the moment. Raul Ibanez, engrossed in one of the worst slumps of his life, hand just grounded out to end the inning. So I knew the cheers had nothing to do with the Phillies.
Ryan Madson, the Phillies temporarily closer, came in to pitch the top of the ninth. At this point cries of “USA..USA..” were beginning to resonate behind me, and in the bleachers as well. Ryan Howard fielded a Jose Reyes ground ball at first base, and recorded the first out of the inning. Then fans all along the third base line, started going crazy! “USA … USA” was the proud mantra of the moment! Like so many times before in Philadelphia I figured it was some sports reference, which was just lost on me. TOM was trying to figure it out too. He asked me if there was a hockey game going on. I thought about it for a minute. And said no. I knew the Bruins were playing the Flyers, but series was idol, and still wouldn’t make sense. Next I jokingly said: “What are the Mets all Canadian?” It was around this time; I looked down and discovered several texts messages awaiting me on my phone. They confirmed what we all now know, and what half of the Citizens Bank Crowd had learned.
One of the world’s most evil and brutal tyrants had been brought to justice. A man personally responsible for the innocent murder of thousands of civilians had been killed. The “USA” chants were in joyous approval of the capture and execution of Osama Bin Landen.
What seemed to be misplaced “USA” cheers weren’t misplaced at all! With the entire world just a little more safe, the yin and the yang in balance, and a symbolic victory for our nation’s basic ideals, how could Met fans and Phillies fans not be united in our cries of “USA”.
I have never before discussed my politics on this blog. Since it’s creation in 2006, I have used it souly as an outlet for sports entertainment, opinions and commentary. I will continue that even today. My political opinions are extreme and often unbalanced. And so, I will continue to make a conscious effort to keep them from this site. However, that aside, one inning later, when they put the now famous fan on the Jumbo-Tron who was wearing the USA jersey, I got on my feet and began to cheer!
How fitting to be in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, the home of the Eagle, our national bird, when the USA had one of its finest moments in the never ending war on terror.
E...A...G..L...E...S... EAGLES !!!
It's a chant I have heard in the oddest of places since moving to the Philadelphia area some eight years ago.
It is the marching cry of the Philadelphia Eagles, the cities NFL home team. I hear the cheer around the wood shop, outside my office in late October. I hear it in Jim's Cheese Steaks on South Street. I hear it during summer concerts, at the Camden river front, along the Delaware.
And, alas, I hear it in Citizens Bank Ball Park, during home games for the Philadelphia Phillies.
These “out of context” cheers, misplaced and peculiar, have always made me smile. Yes, crazy, emphatic, drunken sports fans entertain me! The passion and vigor that brings on an EAGLE cheer, shows that the setting for the cry makes no difference.
Sure, the correct placement for such a cheer is Lincoln Financial Field, or "The Link" as Eagles fans call their home. But any substitute host will do to announce a crazy loud-mouth fan’s allegiance.
In my experience, it happens most frequently with the Philadelphia Eagles, but it also happens in other cities, and in other sports too. I remember being at a Yankee game in the late nineties, and in-between innings they showed the Kentucky derby on the Jumbo-tron. The crowed went nuts watching the exciting race. I remember Yankee right fielder Paul O’Neil being locked into the Jumbo-Tron, watching the derby results. But the Kentucky derby and Major League Baseball have virtually no similarities. This “out of context” horse race was just as misplaced and lost on me then, as an Eagles chant at a Phillies game, is lost on me today.
So when I was at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday night May 1st 2011, I immediately thought the chants of: “USA… USA… USA”, were of a sporting related / out of context nature.
It happens all the time, is what I figured!
ESPN’s Sunday night baseball program held the rights to the marquee matchup of the Baseball weekend between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. The final game of the three game set featured Cliff Lee for Philadelphia versus Chris Young for New York. The game represented the Mets last chance to salvage at least one game of the three game set.
The Old Man / TOM / Georgie / Old Man Geo / Geo The Lumber Jack / Pain In The Back Side/, first inquired about Phillies tickets on Thursday afternoon April 28th. I was on my way to a Yankee game that night, and was not too thrilled about the prospect of a Sunday night game, only three days later, especially since I was scheduled to be in New York over the weekend. Never the less, Georgie was hell bent on going, and so I humored him by looking up tickets on Stub-Hub. Lower level seating was economincal enough on Stub Hub for me to pull the trigger and order up two tickets.
TOM met me at my place in South Jersey around 5:30pm on Sunday, and by 5:50pm, we were entering the park.
The skies were overcast, the temperature had a slight chill, and the game was an offensive struggle. Neither team could get anything going with the bats. Fly ball after fly ball would carry to the warning track, before then falling into a fielders glove and go as a recorded out. 15 total fly ball outs had occurred before the 9th inning alone. Against typical occurrence, the South Philly evening air was simply not carrying the ball over the fence on this night. As the ninth inning approached, the game was deadlocked at 1-1. Ryan Howard had just tied the game with an RBI single.
It was just as the eighth inning was concluding, when suddenly, out of the blue, a small cluster of young fans seated several rows behind me, and along the right field line began an enormous cheer. A man keeping score in front of me began cheering too. He was wearing head phones and seemed to have just received some type of news. I assumed the news was sporting related, but I was a bit lost since the game I was at seemed to be the only live action in the world of sports at the moment. Raul Ibanez, engrossed in one of the worst slumps of his life, hand just grounded out to end the inning. So I knew the cheers had nothing to do with the Phillies.
Ryan Madson, the Phillies temporarily closer, came in to pitch the top of the ninth. At this point cries of “USA..USA..” were beginning to resonate behind me, and in the bleachers as well. Ryan Howard fielded a Jose Reyes ground ball at first base, and recorded the first out of the inning. Then fans all along the third base line, started going crazy! “USA … USA” was the proud mantra of the moment! Like so many times before in Philadelphia I figured it was some sports reference, which was just lost on me. TOM was trying to figure it out too. He asked me if there was a hockey game going on. I thought about it for a minute. And said no. I knew the Bruins were playing the Flyers, but series was idol, and still wouldn’t make sense. Next I jokingly said: “What are the Mets all Canadian?” It was around this time; I looked down and discovered several texts messages awaiting me on my phone. They confirmed what we all now know, and what half of the Citizens Bank Crowd had learned.
One of the world’s most evil and brutal tyrants had been brought to justice. A man personally responsible for the innocent murder of thousands of civilians had been killed. The “USA” chants were in joyous approval of the capture and execution of Osama Bin Landen.
What seemed to be misplaced “USA” cheers weren’t misplaced at all! With the entire world just a little more safe, the yin and the yang in balance, and a symbolic victory for our nation’s basic ideals, how could Met fans and Phillies fans not be united in our cries of “USA”.
I have never before discussed my politics on this blog. Since it’s creation in 2006, I have used it souly as an outlet for sports entertainment, opinions and commentary. I will continue that even today. My political opinions are extreme and often unbalanced. And so, I will continue to make a conscious effort to keep them from this site. However, that aside, one inning later, when they put the now famous fan on the Jumbo-Tron who was wearing the USA jersey, I got on my feet and began to cheer!
How fitting to be in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, the home of the Eagle, our national bird, when the USA had one of its finest moments in the never ending war on terror.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
2011 MLB Player of The Year
The Ryan Dugan Player Of The Year is selected based on a players previous career statistics, overall team performance, and his potential to repeat the same level of athleticism in 2011, as he has over the rest of his career. I have to pick a man who is not only a team player, but a team leader. The player who most directly affects his team’s successes as a result of his individual performance. As Bob Costas once said “Unlike other sports where a team can continually give the ball to their best player, baseball is different. Babe Ruth, the greatest individual ever to play the game, only came to the plate once every nine times. It’s the individual within the context of the team that makes the game great.”
In the history of modern games, baseball may be the greatest example of a team sport. This makes it very difficult for me to select just one person who not only rises above the rest, but concurrently, elevates his team.
Traditionally I begin my process of selecting this one player by first eliminating positions, and situational players. Starting pitchers are usually the first to be eliminated simply because they work only once every five days, and its difficult for such a player to have great day-to-day impact on a teams overall successes. In fact, on this, the 12th anniversary of the Player Of The Year, only four times has a pitcher won the distinction, and only twice has it been a starting pitcher.
This past February, I was influenced tremendously by MLB-TV’s “Top 100 Players In The Game Today”. The top 100 MLB-players were broken down into a television series, where analysts and MLB-TV personalities ranked the best in baseball going into the 2011 season. I enjoyed their countdown immensely and agreed with most of it. (Although I would have ranked some of the players in slightly different order.) I used their top three finalists as a starting point to select my Player of the Year. Their three finalist were: 1. Albert Pujols, 2. Roy Halladay, and 3. Joe Mauer, in that order. I too finalized my “Player of The Year” pick down to these same three players, asking myself, which of the three affects his team the most dramatically?
My answer, and my 2011 Ryan J. Dugan Player of The Year: Minnesota Twins Joe Mauer.
I have already projected the Philadelphia Phillies to win the NL East. And I believe their starting pitching is so good, they could win the division with or without Roy Halladay. The St Louis Cardinals are going to get tremendous contributions from Albert Pujols this season, as they always do. And I have still projected St Louis to finish a distant third with or without Albert Pujols.
But, if the Twins were to lose Joe Mauer for any extended period of time, the Twins would drastically fall out of the AL Central playoff pitcher. Joe Mauer is a text book example of what I look for in a player of the year. He most drastically affects his teams successes. His contributions both offensively and especially defensively are invaluable to Minnesota!
Mauer has a .327 lifetime batting average in seven seasons. He has finished in the top ten in MVP voting in four in those seven seasons, winning it in 2009. But Mauer’s most critical contributions can be found defensively. He is arguably the best catcher in baseball today. His management of the pitching staff, and his leadership contributions make him the best of the best.
Joe Mauer is my guy in 2011! The Ryan Dugan Player of The Year.
The Player Of The Year Alumni
2000 Marino Rivera New York Yankees
2001 Pedro Martinez Boston Red Sox
2002 Jason Giambi Oakland Athletics
2003 Albert Pujols St Louis Cardinals
2004 Ivan Rodriguez Florida Marlins
2005 Hideki Matsui New York Yankees
2006 Albert Pujols St Louis Cardinals
2007 Johan Santana Minnesota Twins
2008 Matt Holliday Colorado Rockies
2009 Albert Pujols St Louis Cardinals
2010 Marino Rivera New York Yankees
2011 Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins
In the history of modern games, baseball may be the greatest example of a team sport. This makes it very difficult for me to select just one person who not only rises above the rest, but concurrently, elevates his team.
Traditionally I begin my process of selecting this one player by first eliminating positions, and situational players. Starting pitchers are usually the first to be eliminated simply because they work only once every five days, and its difficult for such a player to have great day-to-day impact on a teams overall successes. In fact, on this, the 12th anniversary of the Player Of The Year, only four times has a pitcher won the distinction, and only twice has it been a starting pitcher.
This past February, I was influenced tremendously by MLB-TV’s “Top 100 Players In The Game Today”. The top 100 MLB-players were broken down into a television series, where analysts and MLB-TV personalities ranked the best in baseball going into the 2011 season. I enjoyed their countdown immensely and agreed with most of it. (Although I would have ranked some of the players in slightly different order.) I used their top three finalists as a starting point to select my Player of the Year. Their three finalist were: 1. Albert Pujols, 2. Roy Halladay, and 3. Joe Mauer, in that order. I too finalized my “Player of The Year” pick down to these same three players, asking myself, which of the three affects his team the most dramatically?
My answer, and my 2011 Ryan J. Dugan Player of The Year: Minnesota Twins Joe Mauer.
I have already projected the Philadelphia Phillies to win the NL East. And I believe their starting pitching is so good, they could win the division with or without Roy Halladay. The St Louis Cardinals are going to get tremendous contributions from Albert Pujols this season, as they always do. And I have still projected St Louis to finish a distant third with or without Albert Pujols.
But, if the Twins were to lose Joe Mauer for any extended period of time, the Twins would drastically fall out of the AL Central playoff pitcher. Joe Mauer is a text book example of what I look for in a player of the year. He most drastically affects his teams successes. His contributions both offensively and especially defensively are invaluable to Minnesota!
Mauer has a .327 lifetime batting average in seven seasons. He has finished in the top ten in MVP voting in four in those seven seasons, winning it in 2009. But Mauer’s most critical contributions can be found defensively. He is arguably the best catcher in baseball today. His management of the pitching staff, and his leadership contributions make him the best of the best.
Joe Mauer is my guy in 2011! The Ryan Dugan Player of The Year.
The Player Of The Year Alumni
2000 Marino Rivera New York Yankees
2001 Pedro Martinez Boston Red Sox
2002 Jason Giambi Oakland Athletics
2003 Albert Pujols St Louis Cardinals
2004 Ivan Rodriguez Florida Marlins
2005 Hideki Matsui New York Yankees
2006 Albert Pujols St Louis Cardinals
2007 Johan Santana Minnesota Twins
2008 Matt Holliday Colorado Rockies
2009 Albert Pujols St Louis Cardinals
2010 Marino Rivera New York Yankees
2011 Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Manny "The Ass Clown" Ramirez
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Since the time that I was just a boy, my uncle G.T. has expressed a strong desire to some day plan a trip to Cooperstown New York. Once there, our destination would be the Baseball Hall of Fame. In the Hall of Fames main concourse, the plan would then be to scout out the plaque of former Yankee, and stolen base king Rickey Henderson. Then the plan would evolve into befouling his plaque in a urinary relief exercise. (He wants to piss on Rickey’s plaque in layman's terms.) I, for one, have never fully understood my uncle’s horrid despise for Rickey. I had yet to become a huge Yankee fan in the late 1980’s when Rickey was in New York. But I’m sure my uncle was never a fan of Rickey’s flamboyant ego during his playing days. I also know that Rickey’s Yankee years surround controversy over his health. Rickey had a reputation , weather true or not, of faking injuries from time to time. Whatever my uncle’s reasons, I’m sure they are valid and legit enough for him to plan this trip.
Personally, I am all for it!
Not because I want to befoul Rickey’s plaque too. But rather because I have my own Cooperstown agenda!
I recently proposed to my uncle, that if he were to go to Cooperstown and befoul Rickey’s plaque, I would, at the same time, find the plaque of Manny “The Ass-Clown” Ramirez, and befoul his simultaneously. Now this trip is at least a few years off. It is souly based on the assumption that Manny will make the Hall-of-Fame. Which based on his steroid controversy, may keep him out. (One can only pray!)
The Los Angeles Dodgers were truly blessed the day they finally ridded themselves of Manny! Ramirez the former power hitting Red Sox slugger has spent the last two seasons in self-proclaimed Manny-Wood, aka Los Angeles California. The Dodgers had finally seen enough of Manny’s shenanigans, and traded him to Chicago the end of last year. This past winter, Manny signed with Tampa, and I project that the Rays will cut him too before the 2011 season ends. Manny deliberately had himself ejected in his last game as a Dodger last season. He quit on the Boston Red Sox, he quit on the Dodgers, he barely showed up for the White Sox. (One homerun and two Ribs in 24 games.) Now he starts a new season of stupidity in Tampa. The difference is now, Manny is in the twilight of his career. His age requires him to tread water twice as fast as everyone else, just to stay afloat. Trouble is that everything in Manny’s life has come easy and natural to him. Now that he has to maintain health, physical endurance, and stamina, without the God-given gift of a 20-year-old body, he will quickly lose interest, and resort to toxic distractions. I half hope that Manny does make the Hall of Fame. Just so I have something that represents him that I can use as a urinal!
Since the time that I was just a boy, my uncle G.T. has expressed a strong desire to some day plan a trip to Cooperstown New York. Once there, our destination would be the Baseball Hall of Fame. In the Hall of Fames main concourse, the plan would then be to scout out the plaque of former Yankee, and stolen base king Rickey Henderson. Then the plan would evolve into befouling his plaque in a urinary relief exercise. (He wants to piss on Rickey’s plaque in layman's terms.) I, for one, have never fully understood my uncle’s horrid despise for Rickey. I had yet to become a huge Yankee fan in the late 1980’s when Rickey was in New York. But I’m sure my uncle was never a fan of Rickey’s flamboyant ego during his playing days. I also know that Rickey’s Yankee years surround controversy over his health. Rickey had a reputation , weather true or not, of faking injuries from time to time. Whatever my uncle’s reasons, I’m sure they are valid and legit enough for him to plan this trip.
Personally, I am all for it!
Not because I want to befoul Rickey’s plaque too. But rather because I have my own Cooperstown agenda!
I recently proposed to my uncle, that if he were to go to Cooperstown and befoul Rickey’s plaque, I would, at the same time, find the plaque of Manny “The Ass-Clown” Ramirez, and befoul his simultaneously. Now this trip is at least a few years off. It is souly based on the assumption that Manny will make the Hall-of-Fame. Which based on his steroid controversy, may keep him out. (One can only pray!)
The Los Angeles Dodgers were truly blessed the day they finally ridded themselves of Manny! Ramirez the former power hitting Red Sox slugger has spent the last two seasons in self-proclaimed Manny-Wood, aka Los Angeles California. The Dodgers had finally seen enough of Manny’s shenanigans, and traded him to Chicago the end of last year. This past winter, Manny signed with Tampa, and I project that the Rays will cut him too before the 2011 season ends. Manny deliberately had himself ejected in his last game as a Dodger last season. He quit on the Boston Red Sox, he quit on the Dodgers, he barely showed up for the White Sox. (One homerun and two Ribs in 24 games.) Now he starts a new season of stupidity in Tampa. The difference is now, Manny is in the twilight of his career. His age requires him to tread water twice as fast as everyone else, just to stay afloat. Trouble is that everything in Manny’s life has come easy and natural to him. Now that he has to maintain health, physical endurance, and stamina, without the God-given gift of a 20-year-old body, he will quickly lose interest, and resort to toxic distractions. I half hope that Manny does make the Hall of Fame. Just so I have something that represents him that I can use as a urinal!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
The San Diego Save
Each year, when creating my crazy baseball prediction magazine, I have one recommendation of literature from the “Ryan J. Dugan Book Club”. Not that such a club really exists. It’s really just my chance to “book drop” in a feeble attempt to seem superiorly intellectual. I pretend to know how to read, and pretend to recommend books to others. But the truth is, very few people read in America any more, and the few that do, are not going to take any tips from me! But this year’s recommendation pertains directly to the San Diego Padres who perplex me when it comes to baseball’s final key ingredient: The Save.
I stumbled into a book signing at Borders about a year ago when author Fran Zimniuch spotted me checking out his book. He told me I have a striking resemblance to Shane Victorino and from there we engaged in a serious debate of baseball. The coversation centered around Fran’s book, Titled: Fireman- The Evolution of the Closer. I of course have an undying infatuation for my favorite closer/player, and in my opinion the best of all time: Mariano Rivera. Fran, although placing Rivera on the cover of his book, seemed to disagree quite passively. Fran was more interested in the origins of the closer role, and his personal friend, and favorite closer: Lee Smith. I bought his book, he signed me a copy, and now I’m recommending it to others. Imagine that!
But our closer conversation alas brings me to San Diego California, and to two Padres closers who have, in recent history that left me baffled. The first closer I have issue with would be the all time saves leader Trevor Hoffman. How can a guy with such little talent accumulate such astronomical save totals? (601 lifetime saves - the all time leader) Hoffman has never had a vital save in a big game, I.E. Playoffs or World Series. And in fact Hoffman usually choked in any playoff spots he found himself in. Hoffman threw an average fastball, and an above average changeup. Yet he is considered statistically the greatest closer in the history of baseball.
Thier second closer I have issue with, would be their present day closer Heath Bell. Bell was second in NL saves a year ago , behind only Brian Wilson. Bell was an over-weight, bullpen right-hander, who spent eight years in the Mets minor league system. Then in 2009 he exploded on the scene. First as the USA closer in the World Baseball Classic. Then Bell went on to a 42 save season. His pervious season high in saves: two. I just don't get it!
After reading Fran’s book, the reader receives a fine appreciation for how complex the save role is in baseball. And yet the Padres, from Hoffman to Bell, have made it look easy. They get top credit in save conversation. Truely amaizing!
I stumbled into a book signing at Borders about a year ago when author Fran Zimniuch spotted me checking out his book. He told me I have a striking resemblance to Shane Victorino and from there we engaged in a serious debate of baseball. The coversation centered around Fran’s book, Titled: Fireman- The Evolution of the Closer. I of course have an undying infatuation for my favorite closer/player, and in my opinion the best of all time: Mariano Rivera. Fran, although placing Rivera on the cover of his book, seemed to disagree quite passively. Fran was more interested in the origins of the closer role, and his personal friend, and favorite closer: Lee Smith. I bought his book, he signed me a copy, and now I’m recommending it to others. Imagine that!
But our closer conversation alas brings me to San Diego California, and to two Padres closers who have, in recent history that left me baffled. The first closer I have issue with would be the all time saves leader Trevor Hoffman. How can a guy with such little talent accumulate such astronomical save totals? (601 lifetime saves - the all time leader) Hoffman has never had a vital save in a big game, I.E. Playoffs or World Series. And in fact Hoffman usually choked in any playoff spots he found himself in. Hoffman threw an average fastball, and an above average changeup. Yet he is considered statistically the greatest closer in the history of baseball.
Thier second closer I have issue with, would be their present day closer Heath Bell. Bell was second in NL saves a year ago , behind only Brian Wilson. Bell was an over-weight, bullpen right-hander, who spent eight years in the Mets minor league system. Then in 2009 he exploded on the scene. First as the USA closer in the World Baseball Classic. Then Bell went on to a 42 save season. His pervious season high in saves: two. I just don't get it!
After reading Fran’s book, the reader receives a fine appreciation for how complex the save role is in baseball. And yet the Padres, from Hoffman to Bell, have made it look easy. They get top credit in save conversation. Truely amaizing!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Lets Execute Jeffery H. Loria
Last year, I wrote of my absolute distaste and despise for Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey H. Loria. I referred to him as: “A criminal of the worst kind!”
In the last 365 days, the actions, and my view, of Jeffery Loria have only gotten worse! In my humble opinion Loria should be in prison sharing a cell with Bernie Madoff! Or maybe an even better idea would be to give Loria the death penalty!
Last Spring, I made the case that the Marlins have been receiving millions of dollars from Baseball’s luxury tax and other MLB resources, and using those funds as the only means to pay for players salaries. Meaning that the Marlins have been pocketing the millions of dollars from ticket sales, concessions, parking, and personal club advertising, while having MLB front their entire player payroll. Pocketing revenue without spending any on the team,or signing free agent players, means a continued state of mediocrity for the Marlins on-feild product.
Trouble was, I had no proof. I could only speculate, based on some simple math, that the Marlins ownership was scamming their fans. The Marlins budget books were closed to the public, and only Loria knew for sure.
Jeffrey Loria was crying poverty!
Loria has always talked about what a struggling small market team he has in south Florida, and how those other means of revenue, (tickets advertising, concessions and parking) are actually in the red, and losing him money.
Loria’s cries of poverty have been abruptly followed by threats to move the team. Las Vegas or San Antonio were always suggested suitors. Loria’s only solution to keep the team in Miami, while making them profitable, was to build a new stadium, completely funded by the state of Florida. (After all, Loria was in the red! His organization had no money to help build a new stadium!) Loria took his poverty cries to the politicians of Miami Dade county. Loria finally convinced the state of Florida that a new stadium deal had to be publically financed, (paid by the tax payers) and he convinced them without ever having to open up the Marlins books, and show them his budgets.
WOW!
Then in August of 2010, the web site Deadspin.com, leaked all of the Marlins dirty laundry! (And man was it ugly!!!)
According to Dead spin, the Florida Marlins books showed a profit margin of 49 million dollars from 2007 to 2008. During that time the Marlins collected 90 million dollars from MLB resources. The clearly documented news devastated fans and tax payers in a struggling financially stricken state of Florida.
But by late August 2010, when the books were leaked, Miami Dade county had already approved the new Stadium deal, and the new Marlins home was being built. The total estimated cost for the new park is 515 million. Loria and the Marlins will pay absolutely none of that sum. The Florida tax payer, will pay for all of it.
Jeffery Loria has lied to his own fans, the politicians of south Florida, and worse of all, the tax payers, both fans, and non-fans of Major League Baseball. The criminal acts of this New York Art dealer, ( who’s personal worth is close to a billion dollars) is truly horrid. The ignorance of the political system in Miami Dade County is also guilty.
But this is what happens when the American people trust the wealthiest one percent of its citizens to always do the right thing when they are given all power and control of the nation. They abuse their power, take what they want, while making themselves more money , and losing all control of morality.
I say kill Loria!
Former President George W. Bush always said he supported the death penalty only because killing some one is such a powerful action it can be used to deter others from committing the same crime. The idea of the death penalty is to show other criminals the grave consequences for their actions.
Anyone who is going to ruin my national pastime, rob it's ball park fans, and steel tax money from school children, old ladies, and the infrastructure of our nation deserves to die! And maybe if we kill Loria, the fat cats on Wall Street will be detered from commiting similar acts of greed, if the consequece is your own execution!
In the last 365 days, the actions, and my view, of Jeffery Loria have only gotten worse! In my humble opinion Loria should be in prison sharing a cell with Bernie Madoff! Or maybe an even better idea would be to give Loria the death penalty!
Last Spring, I made the case that the Marlins have been receiving millions of dollars from Baseball’s luxury tax and other MLB resources, and using those funds as the only means to pay for players salaries. Meaning that the Marlins have been pocketing the millions of dollars from ticket sales, concessions, parking, and personal club advertising, while having MLB front their entire player payroll. Pocketing revenue without spending any on the team,or signing free agent players, means a continued state of mediocrity for the Marlins on-feild product.
Trouble was, I had no proof. I could only speculate, based on some simple math, that the Marlins ownership was scamming their fans. The Marlins budget books were closed to the public, and only Loria knew for sure.
Jeffrey Loria was crying poverty!
Loria has always talked about what a struggling small market team he has in south Florida, and how those other means of revenue, (tickets advertising, concessions and parking) are actually in the red, and losing him money.
Loria’s cries of poverty have been abruptly followed by threats to move the team. Las Vegas or San Antonio were always suggested suitors. Loria’s only solution to keep the team in Miami, while making them profitable, was to build a new stadium, completely funded by the state of Florida. (After all, Loria was in the red! His organization had no money to help build a new stadium!) Loria took his poverty cries to the politicians of Miami Dade county. Loria finally convinced the state of Florida that a new stadium deal had to be publically financed, (paid by the tax payers) and he convinced them without ever having to open up the Marlins books, and show them his budgets.
WOW!
Then in August of 2010, the web site Deadspin.com, leaked all of the Marlins dirty laundry! (And man was it ugly!!!)
According to Dead spin, the Florida Marlins books showed a profit margin of 49 million dollars from 2007 to 2008. During that time the Marlins collected 90 million dollars from MLB resources. The clearly documented news devastated fans and tax payers in a struggling financially stricken state of Florida.
But by late August 2010, when the books were leaked, Miami Dade county had already approved the new Stadium deal, and the new Marlins home was being built. The total estimated cost for the new park is 515 million. Loria and the Marlins will pay absolutely none of that sum. The Florida tax payer, will pay for all of it.
Jeffery Loria has lied to his own fans, the politicians of south Florida, and worse of all, the tax payers, both fans, and non-fans of Major League Baseball. The criminal acts of this New York Art dealer, ( who’s personal worth is close to a billion dollars) is truly horrid. The ignorance of the political system in Miami Dade County is also guilty.
But this is what happens when the American people trust the wealthiest one percent of its citizens to always do the right thing when they are given all power and control of the nation. They abuse their power, take what they want, while making themselves more money , and losing all control of morality.
I say kill Loria!
Former President George W. Bush always said he supported the death penalty only because killing some one is such a powerful action it can be used to deter others from committing the same crime. The idea of the death penalty is to show other criminals the grave consequences for their actions.
Anyone who is going to ruin my national pastime, rob it's ball park fans, and steel tax money from school children, old ladies, and the infrastructure of our nation deserves to die! And maybe if we kill Loria, the fat cats on Wall Street will be detered from commiting similar acts of greed, if the consequece is your own execution!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
NFL - The Commerical Capital of the World
You know what bothers me?
What gets in my chest cavity, and causes me so much fury that I want grab something heavy, and throw it through glass?
Let me tell you what infuriates me to unbelievable extremes.
What drives me absolutely bonkers is television commercial advertisements.
What bothers me even more then television commercial advertisements is their constant interruption when I am trying to watch a live sporting event.
No live sporting event is ravaged with more crude interruptions at the most inopportune times then that of the National Football League.
Just when a game is about to start, and the players begin to leave the side lines to take the field, inevitably, Jim Nantz, or Joe Buck, or Al Michaels or Mike Tirico say: “We will step aside for a moment, …your big game is up next.”
Just after the networks live coverage has: “stepped aside”, I am bombarded with nonsense and advertisements about cell phones, and cars, and lipitor and old lady cleaning supplies. All of which I have no interest in spending even a penny of my hard earned money on! Then, just after my disgust for all these sales angels reaches it’s apex, I get the particular networks television-programming lineup. “Watch our crappy comedy this Tuesday”. Or, “watch our detective drama this Thursday”. Or “tune in for our reality T.V. series Monday Night starting at 8:00pm”.
And of all these garbage shows, I am not going to watch a single one of them anyway. Why: because all these shows themselves will be loaded with more TV commercials about cell phones and cars and lipior and old lady cleaning supplies.
Freaking infuriating!
Then my announcer of the week says: “welcome back”. I watch one team kick the ball off to the other team, and as soon as a member of the kicking team tackles the receiver, I get the same vomit all over again. Jim Nantz, or Joe Buck, or Al Michaels or Mike Tirrico say: “We will step aside for a moment, 14:57 left in the first quarter.” Three seconds off the clock between commercial breaks!
More useless advertisements about T.V. shows, and American cars that I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.
Then the game comes back on, and two plays later, a member of the defensive line sprains his ankle, and cant get up off the turf.
What happens next?
Not a side line report, or a pre recorded interview segment with the games quarterback, or some commentary with interesting or inside camera shots of the stadium.
Nope instead we get an injury time-out, and another commercial break.
---
The NFL will receive just over three billion dollars from their television contracts this season. (Approximately 650million from NBC, 620million from CBS, 713million from FOX, and 1.1billion from ESPN.) And the NFL caters to these networks in every way imaginable. They let the networks call the shots once the game has begun. And the Directors in the production trailers hold more authority over an NFL game, then any head official does on the field.
While researching this subject matter, I found the following segment from Wikipedia.com and pasted it directly into this blog. I found the information truly appalling!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commercial breaks
During each half of a network-televised game, there are ten prescribed commercial breaks following the official kickoff. Two are firmly scheduled, and eight others are worked in during breaks in the play.[25]
Pre-scheduled commercial breaks:
· The end of the first (or third) quarter
· The two-minute warning of the second (or fourth) quarter
Other instances used for commercial breaks (eight total required per half):
· A timeout called by either team
· Instant replay stoppage
· Game stoppage after a score
· Game stoppage after a kickoff or punt (excluding the opening kickoff of each half)
· Game stoppage after a turnover
· Injury timeout
Two commercial breaks during the typical 12-minute halftime period are considered separate.
Networks are more apt to front-load their commercials in the first and third quarters, to prevent an overrun in the second and fourth quarters respectively. If a team calls a timeout and the network decides to use it for a commercial break, a representative from the broadcast crew stationed on the sidelines wearing orange sleeves makes a crossing motion with his hands to alert the officials. The referee declares it a "two-minute timeout."
Once a broadcast has fulfilled the 8 "random" breaks, game stoppages are no longer needed for commercials. The orange sleeve will hold his hands down in a twirl motion to alert the officials. If a team calls a timeout, the referee will declare it a "30-second timeout." Once any timeout in a half is declared a 30-second timeout, all remaining timeouts will be of the same duration.
Since the 10 total commercial breaks for the second half are to be finished prior to the end of regulation, commercial breaks are rarely needed in overtime situations. In many cases, overtime periods are conducted without any commercials. This also allows the extended broadcast to finish in a timely manner.
(Wikipedia.com)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It blew my mind to read the NFL’s network policy written so clearly in stone.
I knew as an avid football fan that the NFL and the networks were raking us all over the coals. But it wasnt until I did a goggle search, that I found out just how badly.
Since the average commercial break is 45 to 60 seconds in time, that’s over 30 minutes of commercials during a typical three-hour game.
But wait,there's more.
Just because a Network has front loaded its commercials and has met their required breaks, does not mean they will not try to fit in more if the game allows them to do so.
What the fan is left with is a feeling of wonderment. Questioning weather him/or her is watching an NFL football game or "the home shopping network".
This is obviously tolerated by fans most of all on Super Bowl Sunday. This is when most fans look forward to new, interesting, and funny advertisements debuting specifically for the big game. However, even then it leaves the specifics of the game watered down and diluted so badly that the athletes themselves are drastically affected.
Consider that fact that while the average football fan spends 45 to 60 seconds, ten times a half, frustrated in front of their T.V. set, the average player is doing the same thing while standing in a huddle. The fans and the players waiting for the sponsors to finishs their harrasment.
At least in baseball a commercial break in between innings does not impinge on the action of the game. (Not that its any less infuriating for a fan.) In baseball the teams have to change positions. One team has to either enter the dugout or exit it. And in the NBA and NHL their clocks are also stopped much less frequently for scheduled time outs then in the NFL. Their games just don’t allow the opportunities to stop the athletes and cut away from the action. (Not that they dont try!)
But that’s just not the case in the NFL. The NFL is about production before sport!
Football players frequently struggle to find a rhythm or pace, or a reason or rhyme to the constant stoppage of play, as a result of the random commercial. Now although these warriors of the gridiron are probably as frustrated as I am, you will never hear a single one of them complain. And why should they?
Standing around doing nothing is what is paying their million dollar salaries, maybe even more so then what they are doing in-between these moments of killing idol time while the commercials play out.
What gets in my chest cavity, and causes me so much fury that I want grab something heavy, and throw it through glass?
Let me tell you what infuriates me to unbelievable extremes.
What drives me absolutely bonkers is television commercial advertisements.
What bothers me even more then television commercial advertisements is their constant interruption when I am trying to watch a live sporting event.
No live sporting event is ravaged with more crude interruptions at the most inopportune times then that of the National Football League.
Just when a game is about to start, and the players begin to leave the side lines to take the field, inevitably, Jim Nantz, or Joe Buck, or Al Michaels or Mike Tirico say: “We will step aside for a moment, …your big game is up next.”
Just after the networks live coverage has: “stepped aside”, I am bombarded with nonsense and advertisements about cell phones, and cars, and lipitor and old lady cleaning supplies. All of which I have no interest in spending even a penny of my hard earned money on! Then, just after my disgust for all these sales angels reaches it’s apex, I get the particular networks television-programming lineup. “Watch our crappy comedy this Tuesday”. Or, “watch our detective drama this Thursday”. Or “tune in for our reality T.V. series Monday Night starting at 8:00pm”.
And of all these garbage shows, I am not going to watch a single one of them anyway. Why: because all these shows themselves will be loaded with more TV commercials about cell phones and cars and lipior and old lady cleaning supplies.
Freaking infuriating!
Then my announcer of the week says: “welcome back”. I watch one team kick the ball off to the other team, and as soon as a member of the kicking team tackles the receiver, I get the same vomit all over again. Jim Nantz, or Joe Buck, or Al Michaels or Mike Tirrico say: “We will step aside for a moment, 14:57 left in the first quarter.” Three seconds off the clock between commercial breaks!
More useless advertisements about T.V. shows, and American cars that I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.
Then the game comes back on, and two plays later, a member of the defensive line sprains his ankle, and cant get up off the turf.
What happens next?
Not a side line report, or a pre recorded interview segment with the games quarterback, or some commentary with interesting or inside camera shots of the stadium.
Nope instead we get an injury time-out, and another commercial break.
---
The NFL will receive just over three billion dollars from their television contracts this season. (Approximately 650million from NBC, 620million from CBS, 713million from FOX, and 1.1billion from ESPN.) And the NFL caters to these networks in every way imaginable. They let the networks call the shots once the game has begun. And the Directors in the production trailers hold more authority over an NFL game, then any head official does on the field.
While researching this subject matter, I found the following segment from Wikipedia.com and pasted it directly into this blog. I found the information truly appalling!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commercial breaks
During each half of a network-televised game, there are ten prescribed commercial breaks following the official kickoff. Two are firmly scheduled, and eight others are worked in during breaks in the play.[25]
Pre-scheduled commercial breaks:
· The end of the first (or third) quarter
· The two-minute warning of the second (or fourth) quarter
Other instances used for commercial breaks (eight total required per half):
· A timeout called by either team
· Instant replay stoppage
· Game stoppage after a score
· Game stoppage after a kickoff or punt (excluding the opening kickoff of each half)
· Game stoppage after a turnover
· Injury timeout
Two commercial breaks during the typical 12-minute halftime period are considered separate.
Networks are more apt to front-load their commercials in the first and third quarters, to prevent an overrun in the second and fourth quarters respectively. If a team calls a timeout and the network decides to use it for a commercial break, a representative from the broadcast crew stationed on the sidelines wearing orange sleeves makes a crossing motion with his hands to alert the officials. The referee declares it a "two-minute timeout."
Once a broadcast has fulfilled the 8 "random" breaks, game stoppages are no longer needed for commercials. The orange sleeve will hold his hands down in a twirl motion to alert the officials. If a team calls a timeout, the referee will declare it a "30-second timeout." Once any timeout in a half is declared a 30-second timeout, all remaining timeouts will be of the same duration.
Since the 10 total commercial breaks for the second half are to be finished prior to the end of regulation, commercial breaks are rarely needed in overtime situations. In many cases, overtime periods are conducted without any commercials. This also allows the extended broadcast to finish in a timely manner.
(Wikipedia.com)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It blew my mind to read the NFL’s network policy written so clearly in stone.
I knew as an avid football fan that the NFL and the networks were raking us all over the coals. But it wasnt until I did a goggle search, that I found out just how badly.
Since the average commercial break is 45 to 60 seconds in time, that’s over 30 minutes of commercials during a typical three-hour game.
But wait,there's more.
Just because a Network has front loaded its commercials and has met their required breaks, does not mean they will not try to fit in more if the game allows them to do so.
What the fan is left with is a feeling of wonderment. Questioning weather him/or her is watching an NFL football game or "the home shopping network".
This is obviously tolerated by fans most of all on Super Bowl Sunday. This is when most fans look forward to new, interesting, and funny advertisements debuting specifically for the big game. However, even then it leaves the specifics of the game watered down and diluted so badly that the athletes themselves are drastically affected.
Consider that fact that while the average football fan spends 45 to 60 seconds, ten times a half, frustrated in front of their T.V. set, the average player is doing the same thing while standing in a huddle. The fans and the players waiting for the sponsors to finishs their harrasment.
At least in baseball a commercial break in between innings does not impinge on the action of the game. (Not that its any less infuriating for a fan.) In baseball the teams have to change positions. One team has to either enter the dugout or exit it. And in the NBA and NHL their clocks are also stopped much less frequently for scheduled time outs then in the NFL. Their games just don’t allow the opportunities to stop the athletes and cut away from the action. (Not that they dont try!)
But that’s just not the case in the NFL. The NFL is about production before sport!
Football players frequently struggle to find a rhythm or pace, or a reason or rhyme to the constant stoppage of play, as a result of the random commercial. Now although these warriors of the gridiron are probably as frustrated as I am, you will never hear a single one of them complain. And why should they?
Standing around doing nothing is what is paying their million dollar salaries, maybe even more so then what they are doing in-between these moments of killing idol time while the commercials play out.
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