Thank you for Everything Leatherheads

Hello,

I regret you inform all of you that Flashing the Leather is no more. Jesse and myself were the only ones posting consistently. We could not carry this on our own. But from all of us at Flashing the Leather we appreciate all the support and it was fun while it lasted. Keep looking around the blogosphere though, my name might just pop up on another baseball blog!

The Hot Stove has just been lit everyone so it should be a fun winter.

Thanks again for all of those who participated.

A Quick Look at the League Championship Series

Hey Leatherheads, how are things? What an exciting ALCS! I was waiting for some exciting developments to occur in the playoffs and up until Game 5, nothing was really happening. After trailing 7-0, down three games to one, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz led a comeback for the ages propelling the Sox to a 8-7 victory. Then after winning Game 6, the Red Sox seemed poised to make it back to the World Series. But Matt Garza shut down the Red Sox once again and last year's top draft pick David Price shut down the Sox in the ninth, propelling the Tampa Bay Rays to their first World Series birth. The Boston Red Sox still have the pieces to be a dynasty but watch out now, the sky is the limit for the Rays. This will not be the last time the Red Sox and the Rays meet in the ALCs.

Since the NLCs wasn't close to being as exciting, let's start there:



The Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to one.

The Phillies are off to their first World Series since 1993,
only their third series appearance in the team's 125-year history

In Game 1, a Rafael Furcal error in the sixth helped erase an early 2-0 lead for the Dodgers. After Furcal's error allowing Shane Victorino to reach, the next batter Chase Utley launched a line drive to right that just cleared the short fence at Citizens Bank Ballpark. The next batter, Pat Burrell, then hit a homer into the left field seats making the score 3-2. That would end up being the final score as Cole Hamels cruised. In Game 2, the Phils took an 8-2 lead early with Shane Victorino and Brett Myers (interestingly enough) driving in seven of those eight runs. The Dodgers tacked on three runs in the fourth but that was all they could muster as the Phillies were victorious 8-5. Myers ended the night pitching five satisfactory innings and going 3-3 with three RBIs at the plate. In Game 3, Hiroki Kuroda came up big for the Dodgers going six strong innings letting up only two runs. The Dodger's five run first inning was capped off by Blake DeWitt's bases-loaded triple that drove in three of the five runs. Jamie Moyer got shelled, letting up six runs in only one and one third innings. The benches cleared in the top of the third when Kuroda threw over the head of Shane Victorino, but no one was ejected and the complexion of the game had already been set. The Dodgers took this one 7-2. In Game 4, the Dodgers took a 5-3 lead into the eighth when pinch-hitter Shane Victorino launched a game-tying home run off of Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton. Two batters after that, pinch-hitter Matt Stairs hit a towering home run that left Dodger Stadium. This was the turning point of the series, the Dodgers lost most of their life after that moment. The Phils took this one, 7-5. In Game 5, Cole Hamels went seven strong never giving the Dodgers a chance and taking the series MVP award. This game was over when Jimmy Rollins launched the eighth pitch of the game off of Chad Billingsley, who had a terrible series, ending it with an 18.00 ERA. The Phils cruised, taking the game 5-1 and the series four games to one.



The Tampa Bay Rays defeat the Boston Red Sox four games to three.

After finishing with the league's worst record last season,
the Tampa Bay Rays find themselves competing in the World Series

Now this is where the fun begins. In Game 1, Daisuke Matsuzaka and James Shields were lights out each going seven strong innings. Jed Lowrie had a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Kevin Youkilis had a run scoring double in the eighth counting for the only two runs of the game. The Red Sox won the pitcher's duel 2-0. In Game 2, the game couldn't have been more of the opposite of Game 1. Both starters Josh Beckett and Scott Kazmir were hit hard each only going four and a third innings and letting up eight and five runs respectively. Dustin Pedroia and Jason Bay homered twice each for the Boston Red Sox while Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton, and Cliff Floyd homered for the Rays. In the eighth, down 8-7, Pedroia scored on a Dan Wheeler wild pitch. In the 11th, speedy pinch runner Fernando Perez scored on a shallow fly ball by Upton, making the Rays victorious 9-8. In Game 3, Matt Garza set the tone early going six strong while Upton and Rocco Baldelli each hit three-run homers. Longoria tied the rookie record with his fourth homerun this postseason. Jon Lester and Paul Byrd each let up four runs, as the Rays cruised 9-1. In Game 4, the Rays tore apart Tim Wakefield and Manny Delcarmen. Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria, and Wily Aybar homered for the Rays, Aybar also finished with five RBIs and Longoria's homer set a postseason rookie record. Carl Crawford led the Rays with five hits. The Red Sox lost their third straight to the Rays 13-4. In Game 5, the Rays got off to an early lead with homeruns by Pena, Upton and Longoria. After a top-notch six inning outing by Rays starter Scott Kazmir, the Red Sox found themselves down 7-0 entering the seventh inning. After a Pedroia RBI single, David Ortiz launched a two-run homer deep into the right field stands off of Grant Balfour. Now 7-4 in the eighth, J.D. Drew hit a two run shot to get the Red Sox within one. Then after Mark Kotsay's double Coco Crisp, who hit over .400 in the series, knocked him home with a game-tying RBI single. In the ninth, after a Evan Longoria throwing error allowing Kevin Youkilis to get to second, J.D. Drew launched a sharp double over the head of Gabe Gross in right to end the game. This was the first time since the 1929 Philadelphia A's, that a team has come back from a seven-run deficit in the postseason. In Game 6, the Sox got a decent five inning outing from starter Josh Beckett and solo homers from Youkilis and Jason Varitek. Both bullpens were lights out and the 4-2 lead the Sox picked up in the sixth held as the final score. B.J. Upton hit his ALCS record-tying seventh homerun in this one, he had nine in the entire regular season. In Game 7, ALCS MVP Matt Garza struck out nine in seven innings only yielding one run. Wily Aybar hit a solo shot in the seventh giving the Rays a two run cushion. That was when David Price came in and dominated the final one and a third innings. Aknori Iwamora fielded a sharp grounder to second and took it to the bag himself for the final out. Iwamora and catcher Dioneer Navarro mobbed Price and the celebration was on as the Rays took the final game 3-1.

Well that's all for now Leatherheads. I hope you've been watching the World Series. It's been a good series, tied at one so far. But I hope you all noticed that Jason Bartlett stole a base in Game 1. Which means, FREE TACOS! I'll be there Tuesday, October 28th between 2 and 6 PM will you?! I'll be at a few locations, maybe you'll see me! Haha.

But I digress, this will be a hard fought World Series and I would be surprised if it didn't go at least six games. It will come down to the bullpens, who will be able to outlast? We shall see.

Good night, and oh don't forget your free Dr. Peppers on November 23rd, with the apparent release of Guns and Rose's Chinese Democracy. Free stuff, that's what it's all about.

He rolls down his window and he started to say / It's all about makin' that GTA

1

Jeremy Brown was on Team B

First off, special thanks to Eazy E and NWA for today's title post.

Now, then, hey all you Leatherheads out there! I know there's a small matter like the World Series going on, but I just thought it would be wise to take a minute to let you all know that it seems like Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game is being made into a movie, starring Brad Pitt as Billy Beane.

For those of you who do not know, Moneyball is a book written by Billy Bean simulating what would happen if there were only three teams in a league. Team A, composed entirely of computers, and Team B, composed entirely of fat, slow, ugly men who nonetheless enjoyed walking, would tie for the pennant. Team C, full of physically gifted, fast and good fielding ballplayers would come in last place. Because the book showed that computers and fat men actually played baseball better than athletically gifted men with far superior jawbones, it angered many baseball traditionalists. Also, it did not have its intended effect of selling jeans.

For more information, visit http://www.themovieinsider.com/m1763/moneyball/.



1-http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/0305/mlb_a_brown_200.jpg

A Quick Look at the Division Series

Hello Leatherheads. Much to talk about with the wrapping up of each league's division series. In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays won their first postseason series over the Chicago White Sox three games to one. The Boston Red Sox came up big once again in the postseason, downing the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who held the best record in baseball in the regular season, three games to one. Over in the National League, The Philadelphia Phillies overtook the silent bats of the Milwaukee Brewers three games to one. The Los Angeles Dodgers handily swept the Chicago Cubs, who held the best record in the National League this season, three games to zero. Now for a quick wrap-up:

Jason Varitek tags out Reggie Willits in the ninth inning of Game 4.
When Varitek's glove hit the ground the ball came out of this glove.
Willits was ruled out on the play.

American League:

Los Angeles Angels of Aneheim defeat Boston Red Sox, three games to one:

In Game 1, Jon Lester pitched seven strong innings, letting up only one unearned run, leading the Red Sox to the victory. Jason Bay put the Red Sox ahead in the sixth when he launched a two-run home run off of starter John Lackey giving them a two-run lead. The Red Sox didn't look back from there, taking the game 4-1. In Game 2, Jason Bay hit his second home run in two games in the first inning with a three run shot off starter Ervin Santana giving them a 4-1, first inning lead. The Angels chipped away with one run in fourth, fifth, and seventh inning drawing them within a run. Mark Teixeira's sacrifice fly in the eighth tied the game at five. But in the top of the ninth, J.D. Drew launched a two-run home run off of closer Francisco Rodriguez who broke the major league single-season saves record in the regular season with 62. That was enough for Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon who closed the Angels out in the bottom of the inning to win the game 7-5. In Game 3, both starters Joe Saunders and Josh Beckett were chased after five innings after they both let up four runs. Both bullpens were rock solid from the 6th inning on, until the 12th when Erick Aybar drove in Mike Napoli for the game winner for the Angels, 5-4 was the final. Napoli was the star hitting two home runs in this one. In Game 4, John Lackey pitched a solid seven innings letting up only one run. But Red Sox starter Jon Lester was a shade better not letting up a run in his 7 solid innings. In 14 innings pitched this series, Lester did not let up a run and struck out 11. The Red Sox took an early lead with 2 runs in the fifth but the Halos tied the game late on Torii Hunter's two run single. In the top of the 9th, the Angels had pinch-runner Reggie Willits on third base and just one out. Angels manager Mike Scioscia called for a squeeze bunt, but Erick Aybar missed the bunt and Jason Varitek aggressively chased Willits down the line. He tagged Willits just before he could retreat to third base. After the pursuit, Varitek fell down and the ball kicked away just as his arm hit the ground. Third-base umpire Tim Welke ruled that the ball came ajar only after the tag had been applied. This changed the complexion of the game. In the bottom of the 9th, rookie Jed Lowrie hit a walk-off single of set-up man Scot Shields, ending the game, and the series three games to one.

The Tampa Bay Rays defeat the Chicago White Sox three games to one:

In Game 1, Dewayne Wise homered in the third for the White Sox giving them an early lead. But Evan Longoria stole the show for the Rays hitting a home run in his first two postseason at-bats. The Rays never looked back after Longoria's second home run off of White Sox starter Javier Vazquez, winning the game 6-4. In Game 2, the White Sox scored two runs early off Rays starter Scott Kazmir with Jim Thome's RBI single and Alexi Ramirez's sacrifice fly. After stranding the bases loaded, Kazmir settled down and the Rays bullpen held the White Sox to only those two runs. Aknori Iwamora hit the go-ahead two run home run in the fifth, and the Rays won the game 6-2. In Game 3, John Danks pitched a strong 6 2/3 innings before giving way to the bullpen which didn't let up a run. Dewayne Wise hit a two-run double in the fourth off of Rays starter Matt Garza, setting the tone for the rest of the game. The White Sox took the game 5-3. In Game 4, B.J. Upton set the tone early for the Rays with a home run in the first. The Rays then chipped away all game with Carlos Pena going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two stolen bases. The Rays cruised all game, winning 6-2, and taking their first postseason series three games to one.

National League:

The Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Milwaukee Brewers three games to one.

In Game 1, Phillies starter Cole Hamels dominated pitching eight shutout innings. The Phillies tacked on three runs in the third after Bill Hall bobbled a sacrifice attempt by Hamels, ruining the chance for a double play, then had his throw to first dropped by Rickie Weeks who was running to cover. It was extended further when Mike Cameron took a bad route on Chase Utley's two-out fly ball to center field. That was all the Phillies needed, taking the game 3-1. In Game 2, Shane Victorino set the tone in the second with his first career grand slam. Phillies starter Brett Myers struggled in the first but settled down to go seven innings. Brewers starter CC Sabathia struggled all game letting up five runs in 3 2/3 and walking four. The Phillies were victorious, 5-2. In Game 3, Phillies starter Jamie Moyer never recovered from a wild first inning. Brewers starter Dave Bush and four relievers combined to only let up one run. J.J. Hardy had three hits, including an RBI single in the two-run first inning. The Brewers never trailed after that and won 4-1. In Game 4, Phillies starter Joe Blanton when six strong letting up only one run and striking out seven. Brewers starter Jeff Suppan let up three home runs including Jimmy Rollins' lead off homer. After Pat Burrell and Jason Werth went back-to-back off Suppan in the third, the Phils never looked back winning the game 6-2 and taking the series three games to one.

The Los Angeles Dodgers sweep the Chicago Cubs three games to zero.

In Game 1, Derek Lowe went six strong innings for the Dodgers letting up two runs and striking out six. Mark DeRosa got things started for the Cubs with a two run homer in the second but James Loney quickly rivaled that for the Dodgers in the fifth with a grand slam. After that the Dodgers cruised, taking the game easily, 7-2. In Game 2, the Dodgers jumped all over Carlos Zambrano with five runs in the second inning, including Russel Martin's three-run double. Zambrano let up seven runs in all, only three earned. But the game was over after the second inning, the Dodgers took the game, 10-3. In Game 3, Hiroki Kuroda went six shutout innings for the Dodgers who set the tone early with James Loney's two-run double in the first. The Cubs were not able to get their bats alive in this one, as the case was all series. Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Geovanny Soto, Jim Edmonds, and Kosuke Fukudome all hit less than .200 versus the Dodgers who had no problem putting the Cubbies away 3-1 and sweeping the series three games to zero.


So that's all she wrote so far, I hope you were able to catch a few of the games. The ALCS is shaping up to be a great one and has not dissappointed thus far with the Rays and the Red Sox tied at one going to Fenway Park. Keep an eye on Evan Longoria, he'll be key for the Rays in Boston. Philly seems to be handling the Dodgers pretty well as the team rides their lights-out bullpen who has not let up a run thus far in the NLCS. As it stands, the Phils are up two games to none on the Dodgers. If the Dodgers hope to come back, the key factor will be the on-base production of Rafael Furcal and Russell Martin who have gone a combined 3-for-16 in the series.

Take care Leatherheads, and write back!

Somewhere, Ned Yost is Laughing

Dale Sveum is not very bright. That is the only explanation I can think of for intentionally walking Shane Victorino last night in the fourth inning. So Sabathia could face Chase Utley and subsequently Ryan Howard. I understand that the Flyin' Hawaiian is a switch hitter and Utley is a left-handed batter, but this move is nonetheless idiotic. As you can see in the above photograph, he doesn't even know how to run the bases*. How is this guy in charge of the on-field operations for a baseball team?

As it is, of course, Ryan Howard struck out with the bases loaded and Sveum doesn't look like a dumbass. If the sun shines on every dog's ass once in a while, then I guess that it'll shine on a horse's ass sometimes, too.

*this is a joke.
1 - http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/2746749312_bcd7b5e630.jpg?v=0

And Down the Stretch They Come...

Hey Leatherheads, it seems like the only thing you can count on these days are triple-digit moves in the stock market. With the exception of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels, most teams in playoff races have been very inconsistent.

Manny being Manny has helped the Dodgers take control of the NL West

In the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquisition of Manny Ramirez has dramatically changed the division. Before the season, it appeared the Arizona Diamondbacks would win the division in a tight race. But with how weak the NL West was, all it took was one move to change the team attitude. So much so, that not many people realize the Dodger record at the time of the trade (54-53) is not much worse then where the team is at now (81-75). But that modest improvement has been enough to stake themselves to a two-and-a-half game lead over the D-Backs. The strong backend of the bullpen along with the team's above average bats should keep them on top to finish out the year.

In the AL Central, the Chicago Cubs have maintained the second best record in baseball and yesterday were able to clinch the division for the second consecutive season. This is the first time for the Cubbies since 1907 that they have finished consecutive seasons in first place. Manager Lou Pinella owes the team success to what he likes to call "Cubby occurances."

This year those "Cubby Occurances" have included Geovanny Soto's amazing year, contributions from castoffs Jim Edmonds and Reed Johnson, and Kerry Wood being able to successfully trade places with Ryan Dempster. A far cry from the "Cubby Occurances" of yesteryear, like the "Bartman Incident" or maybe Ronny Cedeno getting thrown out stealing second on a walk. There was also that game in 2006 when Andrew Jones tagged up to score, from 2nd base. There was also that time in 2004 when the Chicago Cubs almost weren't able to sign Greg Maddux, that is because GM Jim Hendry tripped on a dustpan while carrying his son's birthday present down the stairs, requiring immediate reconstructive knee surgery.

My personal favorite was how the Chicago Cubs made it a point to monitor Glenallen Hill's severe arachnaphobia. This was because back in 1990 Hill ended up on the 15-day DL as a result of a violent nightmare about spiders. He popped out of his bed, bumped into a glass table, and plunged down a staircase all happening while he was asleep.

But I digress, I do actually like the Cubs chances this year. The Milwaukee Brewers looked, for a little while, like they might give the Cubs a run for their money. After the Brewers acquired CC Sabathia at the trading deadline they were on fire. But they have severely fallen off and have fallen one-and-a-half games back of the New York Mets for the NL wildcard.

In the NL East the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies are in a two team battle for first place. As it stands the Phillies are one-and-a-half games ahead of the Mets after their win and the Mets loss today. Like Casey Stengel used to say, the Mets continue to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory and it seems this may ultimately cost them the division. But I do believe they'll take the NL wildcard.

In the AL West, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have long run away with the division. With the best record in baseball and the Texas Rangers twenty-one-and-a-half games back, the Angels wrapped this up a long time ago.

In the AL Central the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins fight it out atop the division. As it stands the Sox are two and a half games up with six left to play. The Twins have stayed
competitive throughout the year and have outplayed everyone's expectations. They have a great core of young players, but they will eventually lose the Central to the White Sox.

Then you have the AL East where the Tampa Bay Rays have shockingly locked up the division. The Boston Red Sox are one game from locking up the wildcard. It was always in the back of every baseball fan's mind watching all the great players come up with the Tampa Bay Rays that you just knew their time was coming. For the first time since 1993, the Yankees will be missing the playoffs but it's about time another franchise got it's chance to shine.

That's it for now Leatherheads. Stay tuned for the playoffs!

Cy Young Had the Most Wins by Any Pitcher / Cy Young Had the Most Losses by Any Pitcher

Hey Leatherheads,

Just calling out to everyone for what their picks (not predictions for the Baseball Writers Association of America . . . screw anyone who says that Jimmy Rollins was MVP last year!) for some of the major awards for this year are.

There's always a ton written about the MVP and Cy Young awards, and we can cover those, for sure (and sort of did a couple weeks ago), but how about the less talked-about awards like Manager of the Year (my guess: Willie Randolph!) and Comeback Player of the Year. While we're at it, why not pick the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards as well? If you'd like to take this opportunity to combine the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards to create All-Star Teams at the end of the season, then that's cool, too. Up to y'all.

I'll wait on you all to see what you've got to say, but it's probably pretty obvious (based on my last post) who I'd pick for AL Comeback.

Here's your chance to be heard (at least by us)!

Finally, post title brought to us by the Dan Bern song "Cy Young" -- a great folk tune.

Rocco's Modern Life

Okay, you all may have already heard about this, but Rocco Baldelli is back in the majors after a pretty serious scare with Mitochondrial myopathy, a condition that causes extreme muscular fatigue with normal or light exercise. Baldelli, who was a budding superstar just a few years ago, has battled injuries since then until finally being diagnosed (sort of) with the mitochondrial disorder. The condition is life-altering and in many cases is even life-threatening.

Now, I am really happy for Josh Hamilton, battling addiction is a tough thing and hopefully something none of us Leatherheads ever have to deal with. However, I am kind of curious about why the same people who make Hamilton out to be a hero have made Baldelli seem like some kind of wuss. To be sure, it is difficult to battle addiction, but Hamilton brought his condition upon himself, while no one really knows what caused Baldelli's.

In ranking shortstops historically based on worth, Bill James brought up an interesting point. People make Buck Weaver out to be some sort of screwed-over victim of the 1919 Black Sox scandal, but no one seems to care about Ray Chapman, who was not only killed, but was also clearly the superior player.

I think the same argument can be made here for Baldelli. People just don't really care. And that's really too bad because as a rookie, Baldelli was an all-around player, but he was best known for his speed and his fielding. Times change, and in his modern life, he can barely run enough to start at designated hitter. Well, this is probably the only time you'll ever hear me say anything good about the DH, but for Rocco, I'm glad that it's there. Hopefully he can help the Rays in October.

Closers

Good evening ladies and gentlemen! Tonight I shall be writing about closers. I was going to write about the AL West or NL Central (until I saw that Anthony wrote a post about it) but then I just suddenly thought about this topic, and it's something I've always been wondering about. A few times I've heard Anthony say that Mariano Rivera is the best closer to ever play the game, and of course millions of other people share that same opinion. I don't disagree, but I don't know if I agree either.

I'm not really sure how you can ever say that so and so is the best closer ever, I just don't get it. Mariano is the best closer ever, but Trevor Hoffman has over 500 saves, by far the most saves ever. Then you've got Francisco Rodriguez who may set a new major league record for most saves in a season. How can we say one is better than the other? The way I see it, it all depends on the team you're on. I think Rodriguez will be considered the best closer of the 2008 season when it ends, but why? Because he saved 60 games or whatever? I think its great he might break the record, but it's not like he's saving so many games because he's so great, but because he gets a lot more opportunities than others. Of course that means he's reliable, but I feel there are other closers that could do what he's doing if they had the chances.

Rivera isn't going to be doing that as long as he's on the Yankees, since they mostly win with a score 17-5 and ridiculous stuff like that. If you're on a team with great pitching and a great offense, then you most likely aren't going to get as many chances to save a game as other closers may get on a team with great defense and pitching with no offense, or great offense with ok/bad pitching. I feel like there are too many factors to determine who is a better closer, when it comes to the really good ones. It's kinda like saying Robin Ventura is better than David Wright because he has more grandslams; that all depends on a specific situation and how often you're placed in that spot. Just like saves, you have to have a team that can reach the (potential) last inning of play with the right conditions for a save, which doesn't happen all the time.

Those camo Padres uniforms are butt ugly!

Second Half Keys for Success- NL Central

Hello Leatherheads! How are things? It's been a good time to be a baseball fan (well unless your a Yankee fan). But we do have our first confirmed use of instant replay. Alex Rodriguez hit a drive deep down the left field line in the 9th inning off of Tampa Bay Rays closer Troy Percival. The initial call was home run. If you looked quick it did seem possible that the ball could have careened off of the second deck in foul territory, when the ball clearly hit that deck causing it to change direction. Rays manager Joe Maddon argued that he thought the play should be reviewed, umpiring crew leader Charlie Relaford agreed. Upon taking a two minutes and twenty second look at a monitor in the third-base dugout, the original call was confirmed. It's better to get the call right then not, especially when there are playoff implications on the line. A good first for Major League Baseball, the first use of instant replay a success.

So let's get to the best division in all of baseball, the NL Central

Aramis Ramirez is a big reason why the Chicago Cubs are
the best team in the major leagues

Milwaukee Brewers: Here's a team that historically has been either terrible or mediocre. Even heading towards the trading deadline, this team didn't seem all that great. But the acquisition of CC Sabathia gave the Brewers a spark that set them on fire. In his first game he pitched a complete game and hit a home run. That was followed by two more complete games. Since the deal, Sabathia is 9-0 with a 1.43 ERA with a total of an astounding six complete games (nine in total, five shutouts). Only Roy Halladay comes close with eight complete games, but only two shutouts.

Hitting and on the field, the Brewers look pretty good. Ryan Braun is a masher but has his adventures in left. Mike Cameron is an above average center fielder, always keeps a .250 AVG but shows power at the plate. Corey Hart is having a nice year both offensively and defensively in right. Prince Fielder is having a nice power year and better than you would expect at first base. Rickie Weeks has been below average at the plate and average at second. J.J. Hardy is one of the streakiest players in baseball but is having a very nice year for himself. Jason Kendall is a shell of what he used to be behind the plate.

On the pitching front, CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets are the best 1, 2 combination in the major leagues. The rest of the rotation is average at best. The bullpen has been shaky. Eric Gagne has been awful and has been pitching middle relief of late. But Solomon Torres has stepped up as closer and Ben Shouse as the set-up man. They have really anchored the back-end of the bullpen.


Chicago Cubs: As what seems to happen every year, baseball fans are looking for something to go wrong to throw a wrench in what has been a great season for the Cubbies. Alfonso Soriano has been having an above-average year, but has been hot of late. Jim Edmonds and Kosuke Fukudome are having rather pedestrian years in center and right. Aramis Ramirez has been having a great year, like he always does. Ryan Theriot has been a good leadoff hitter and played a good shortstop, providing nice speed and contact hitting atop the lineup. Mark DeRosa has been having a very good year at second base. Derrek Lee's been having a nice year, showing flashes of 2005 when he hit .335 with 22 home runs and 82 RBIs. Geovany Soto is the undisputed NL Rookie of the Year (.294 AVG, 21 HRs, 80 RBIs) behind the plate.

The Cubs have been led by their outstanding rotation. Their top four of Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Rich Harden, and Ted Lilly is the best in the majors. No one in their rotation has less than nine wins. Ryan Dempster has been a big part of the rotation's success, his 15-6 record and 2.99 ERA with 167 strikeouts has him in CY Young consideration (he doesn't hold a candle to CC Sabathia or Tim Lincecum though). In the bullpen Kerry Wood was shaky early but rebounded nicely to have 28 saves and a 2.81 ERA on the season. Carlos Marmol has been lights out at his set-up man. The rest of the bullpen has been below average, but the back-end is one of the best in baseball.

At this point, you can count out the St. Louis Cardinals. They kept it close but have really fallen off of late, they are not catching either of these two teams. The Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, and Cincinnati Reds have long been out of contention.

Analysis: I'm surprised the Brewers have kept it as close as they have. They have been losing steam of late, the recent sweep by the New York Mets hasn't helped. The Brewers have remained resilient all season and I expect that to continue though I do not expect them to catch the Cubs. Though the Cubs have also been slipping of late, they will win the NL Central. The Brewers will take the Wild Card. Nothing could possibly happen to keep the Cubbies from the NLCs, but then again they still are the Cubs.


Take care all and as always.....Comment!!!!

Two Guitars, Bass and Drums / Yeah, Our Lineup Was the Same Then

Greetings, Leatherheads!

I had a visitor from the Left Coast last week, which was an enjoyable time, as we drank a few Siberian Nights. He also smuggled several Oregonian, Washingtonian and Californian beers onto the plane, which were all quite excellent. We also got to watch one of the worst baseball games I've ever seen, where a fan was ejected for trying to use the restroom during "God Bless America".

Anyway, more to the point, he also alerted me to a recently released album, Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails by a group called The Baseball Project. As this is supposedly a baseball blog, I think it is probably appropriate to do a quick review.

The album runs the gamut from sad melodies like "Sometimes I Dream of Willie Mays" to basic grooves like "Gratitude (For Curt Flood)" to the Latin "Fernando." Aside from its obvious appeal to baseball fans, this album stands on its own as a great rock record. For baseball fans, especially fans of baseball history, the album is a must-listen, with tracks about Ed Delahanty, Harvey Haddix, Curt Flood, Ted Williams and Jackie Robinson, amongst many others.

The album begins with "Past Time," sort of an introduction to baseball and the importance of its interweaving with America history. The next song is "Ted Fucking Williams," which takes a potshot at the great slugger's well-known arrogance. "Gratitude (For Curt Flood)" is all about the plight of the gold glove centerfielder. "Broken Man" is sort of a jangly song, which belies its cynical, biting lyric.

"Satchel Paige Said" is probably the best crossover-type song on the album, as it is simply a great song about a famous American hero that isn't just about baseball. "Fernando" is a sad Latin tune (sung in Spanish) about Fernando Valenzuela. "Long Before My Time" is another nice crossover-type song, that really isn't exactly about baseball so much as it is about aging, but I don't like it as much as "Satchel Paige Said."

"Jackie's Lament" is spun from Jackie Robinson's point-of-view. Most people think of Jackie as more being in the right place at the right time, but that's not how it was, and this song does a good job of telling, at least what I think, was going through his head as he broke the color barrier. "Sometimes I Dream of Willie Mays" is about watching your heroes grow old, but remembering them in their prime. "The Death of Big Ed Delahanty" is an ode to a great, but often forgotten, Hall of Famer, who lived hard and died young.

"Harvey Haddix" is a great song that pays tribute to one of the most impressive pitching performances of all time, but the only problem is that more people probably know about Haddix's than half of the others mentioned. It's also a great testament to those of us who've come up just short, through no fault of our own -- as they say, "A perfect game, if nothing else, 'cause perfection's always flawed."

"The Yankee Flipper" is about a pitcher I haven't thought about in years, Jack McDowell, who I didn't realize was also a big rock music fan (apparently, he loved the Replacements). Unfortunately, his career went downhill pretty quickly, but at least he lives on in song. The album ends with the appropriately titled "The Closer," a song about the mentality of relief pitchers (as I write this, the Arizona Diamondbacks just tied the score in the bottom of the ninth . . . let's see what Adam Dunn does . . . he doubled, game over D'backs win. Also, I was just informed that Adam Dunn was traded for "some jackass [my aforementioned visitor] went to high school with"). I'm not a big fan of closers in general and this is probably my least favorite song on the album, though it really may be more of tongue-in-cheek look at them and how they're probably taken way too seriously.

Anyway, if you got through this, you might as well check out the album. If you're a fan of baseball (and you probably are if you're reading this) and rock music (and if you're not, you should be!), it's really kind of essential.

Rank: A-

I Stepped Outside to Smoke Myself a Jay

Although this is not necessarily baseball-related, it's just too funny to pass up.

DeadSpin covers it here:

http://deadspin.com/5043228/roger-ebert-gives-jay-mariotti-a-strategically-placed-thumb-on-his-way-out-the-door


-wal

Fourth Quarter Keys to Success - American League West

Angels -- Just show up.

Rangers -- Keep on hitting, maybe you can get this franchise up to respectability with a .500 season. Kind of sad about Ian Kinsler.

Athletics -- Gave up trying to win when they traded Rich Harden and Joe Blanton. Not that Joe Blanton's all that great. We'll probably see them in 2009.

Mariners -- On the bright side, you've still got Felix Hernandez and Ichiro. On the less bright side, you've got a $118 M payroll and you're 47-81 and thirty games out of first place.

What Made Milwaukee Famous / Made a Loser Out of Me

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Miller Park opened a couple years ago in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it seems like the Brewers want to thank the fans for it. What used to be one of the saddest franchises in all of baseball (what kind of team can switch leagues and no one even cares?) has rebounded to become one of the best teams in the National League. And I'm happy for them. As Paul notes, the Brewers are another team who actually seems to treat their fans in a respectful manner.

Beers were so affordable that I even bought one ($5.25 for a pint of Miller High Life and $4 for a pint of Sharp's; I went for the High Life), and although I didn't try the food, I've heard that it's pretty good. In any event, High Life on draft is delicious.

Because it is a retractable dome, the stadium is very different from the others that we've seen on the trip (and that I've ever seen except Skydome in Toronto, Ontario), but it definitely had charm in its own way. Although it did not have the same view of the cityscape that many of the other stadiums have had, the view that it did have was framed very nicely by the sides of the dome. I've heard that the roof only takes a few minutes to close (when I went to a game in Toronto as a kid, it started raining and took quite some time to close the roof). But I cannot verify this, because the night was clear, so the roof stayed open all game.

The scoreboard was very nice (although there was no clock) and the out-of-town scoreboard was adequate (though it did not declare pitchers). No $5 hats outside, but decent $12 hats (ball and glove logo) inside, though I did not buy one. Unforunately, we didn't get to see Ben Sheets or Cubic Centimeter Sabathia, but Dave Bush pitched pretty well and Jimmy Jazz Hardy and Mike Cameron each homered. Unforunately Cameron's homerun (which was directly down the rightfield line) occurred just after we left a great view directly at the rightfield foul pole (if you go, definitely check out this vantage point, it is a unique -- and exceptional -- one I've never seen at another stadium). This is another stadium, by the way, where you can walk all the way around the stadium and the ushers let you walk around as you please.

We spent the afternoon in Madison, Wisconsin, home of the University of Wisconsin Badgers. This is a great city, if you are in the area, it is definitely worth checking out. Madison is characterized by a very nice landscape and a nice downtown with plenty of bars and a great university district. Plus, you can buy beer at the University of Wisconsin Student Center (supposedly the only public university in the country where this is the case. I'm not completely convinced. I went to a public university, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and they gave away free beer once a month). We even got to go for a swim in the lake adjoining the university grounds.

Miller Park Grades:

Biggest Advantages: Good and inexpensive beers, Good team, Interesting design
Biggest Drawbacks: Did not feel as close and intimate as PNC or Wrigley
Overall: B+

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Hey, Chicago, What Do You Say? / The Cubs Are Gonna Win Today

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Okay, I could write for a day about Wrigley Field, but there really isn't any point. Anything that I could say has already been said. Just go.

I will say that, although Chicago is expensive, Wrigley is actually quite affordable. I was shocked that the Cubs actually treat their fans with respect. It's kind of amazing, but I guess that's how you keep a fanbase after 100 years of futility.

Wrigley Field Grades:

Biggest Advantages: History, Ivy, Closeness
Biggest Drawbacks: The Cubs still have never won a World Series since it was built in 1914

Overall: A+

Up Next: Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Ding, Ding, Ding Goes the Trolley . . .

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The new Busch Stadium opened up in 2006 and . . . so here's the review.

Another city, another new stadium, another great view of a downtown. In this case, the view is of the Gateway Arch on the Mighty Mississippi and the city courthouse. Unfortunately, as I said, I think I'm becoming desensitized to this.

Superficially, the stadium reminded me of Great American Ballpark, though that may be in large part because all of the seats were red. The stadium itself is deceptively big, it actually seemed smaller from the Upper Deck than from the Field Level standing room. Along with Detroit, these have been the only stadiums where ushers have been less than polite. Worse than Detroit, the ushers really do move you along here and don't exactly let you stand around and watch the game from different vantage points (aside from the dedicated standing room). A good out-of-town scoreboard and a very nice scoreboard overall (though make sure you bring your glasses, as the statistics show up a little small). Outside the stadium, there were statues of past Cardinal greats and a very impressive one dedicated to the great Stan Musial. Plus, there's The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame.

An interesting factoid is that St. Louis, in my opinion has had, by far, the most attractive fanbase of any stadium we've yet seen. We'll see how Cubs fans do, but as of right now, the Cards take the cake. They also score major points for putting the kibosh on "The Wave."

No opportunities for street meat outside, but a decent watering hole just a block or two away with $6 tall boys (24 oz beers). We couldn't find any $5 hats, either.

Andrew and I stayed with an old college buddy of mine in Maplewood, Missouri, a few minutes outside the downtown and ate lunch at Schlafly's and toured their brewery. As an experienced brewery tourer, I can say that this was a pretty good one. The food was good (and quite filling). The beer, aside from the Raspberry Hefeweizen, was also quite good. On Monday night, we found our freedom at Blueberry Hill and, following that, Cicero's. We finally ended the night at Saratoga Lanes, a bowling alley I'd highly recommend for its $2.50 beers and (most of all) its manual scoring.

The other folks stayed downtown and seemed to enjoy it. They toured the Anheiseur-Busch brewery and said that it was a good tour. We considered touring Anheiseur-Busch but, ultimately, figured that it unfortunately must end with drinking beers brewed by Anheiseur-Busch (or InBev, or whatever).

Before the game, we briefly walked around the park with the Gateway Arch and, if you've got the time, it's a nice park to see, very clean and the arch is pretty impressive in person.

Mike also claimed that he liked the old Busch Stadium moreso than the new one, so that's something to keep in mind, as well.

Busch Grades:

Biggest Advantages: View of the Arch, Scoreboard, Proximity to the Bowling Hall of Fame (?)
Biggest Drawbacks: Impolite ushers

Overall Grade: C+ (still above average, but not that much)

Up Next: Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois

. . . Finally, just want to give a special thanks to Mike Reuther for putting us up for the two nights and Kevin Brown for meeting us out (neither of you will probably read this)

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Second Half Keys to Success- NL East

Hello everybody, this will be my first article for this site so I'd like to just give you a little information about myself. I was born and raised in Philly, but currently I live in Jersey. Two lessons that I was taught growing up were: 1) Philadelphia's got more than cheesesteaks 2) Love the Phightins'
The NL East race won't be decided until the final week of the regular season. The metropolitans, fish, and phils are all talented teams and legitimate contenders. However, in the end, only one of these teams is going to make the playoffs.

Phillies-
If the season were to end right now the Phillies would finish 1 and a half games out of the NL East and 4 games out of the wild card. With only 68 wins at this point of the season Jimmy Rollin's prediction of 100 wins seems a bit out of reach. Unless the Phils can win 32 of their last 36 it looks like the 2007 MVP and the rest of the team will fall short of the shortstop's 100 win prophecy.
Luckily for the team, it won't take 100 wins for them to win the NL East. It will take something that they have been lacking since June 13th where they embarrassed the cardinals 20-2. Bat stability. The offense has not been consistent enough for the team to have success, and the numbers show as the team is only 27-30 after that game. Where they were 41-28 prior. On June 13th, where every St. Louis Cardinal (except Aaron Miles [STL 2nd baseman] who pitched the only scoreless inning in that game) was wishing their was a forfeit rule in baseball, and everyone somewhat related to the Phillies organization (fans, players, coaches, front office members, etc.) had thought the Phillies were about to run away with the NL East race, the hitting started to go downhill. They lost the remaining two games of the series and still haven't gone above .500 baseball since that point.
If the Phillies are going to turn this race around, they are going to need to play "Angels' Baseball". Where they "Get em' on, get em' over, and get em' in." If the pitching stays solid, and if Utley, Howard, or Burrell gets hot they'll be able to win the few remaining crucial games against their division rivals.


Marlins-
During an interview with an ESPN reporter in Spring training Hanley Ramirez asked why they [ESPN] didn't follow them around all the time. He also stated "When we're one game out of 1st place with a week to go they'll be reporters all over the place." I don't think anyone thought Ham-Ram's statement might become a reality come September.
If the Rays weren't having the season they're having the Marlins would be getting a lot more media attention. They're competing against two of the most stacked teams in baseball for a division title with a team that's total payroll is less than that of three players on the Yankees. (A-Rod, Jeter, and Giambi) They may be 5 games out of first at the moment, but don't count the fish out yet. They are a power-packed line-up and the key to their season has been to out slug their opponents. They currently rank 4th in the Majors in round trippers with 167 of them, 53 by the 2B/SS.
The key for this team is to win the important games. They don't have solid pitching (4.45 ERA 20th) and they're second in the league in errors with 95 of them. If the Marlins can use their power in the clutch they could get hot and make a run for the NL East.

Mets-
The Mets are the current leaders of the NL East. The mixture of young superstars (Jose Reyes, Johan Santana and David Wright) and older veterans (Carlos Delgado) creates a very balanced team featuring above average pitching, good power, and speed. After last years September collapse they are looking to redeem themselves by winning the division.
Injuries are keeping the Mets from reaching their full potential. Ryan Church, Luis Castillo, Moses Alou, and Billy Wagner are all important pieces to the New York puzzle that are currently on the Disabled List. The closer situation is also not looking so good. Billy Wagner has not been the same lights out lefty this year as we've seen him be throughout his career. He's battled injuries in his elbow as well as other places in his arm.
If the Mets want to hold on to their slim lead over the other NL East contenders two things are going to need to happen. The back-up players that are starting now because of the injuries such as Fernando Tatis are going to have to keep playing like they have been and really make a positive impact on the team. Also, the late inning guys such as Aaron Heilman who has been thrust into the closer's role due to Wagner's injury are going to need to step up and shut the door at the end of games. The Mets have failed at doing this all year. For example Johan Santana has left the game with the lead numerous times and on many occasions the 7th, 8th, and 9th inning guys have failed to keep the lead in tact and get him the victory.




Analysis-
Barring some amazing streak put together by the Marlins, the NL East is going to come down to the Phillies and the Mets, just like it did in 2007. Contrasting to 2007, in 2008 the Mets are on the better side of the head to head record with their division rivals. The upcoming series between the two teams could decide the race. Don't get distracted by the media controversies, injuries, awards, boos, and cheers because in the end there can only be one NL East Champion.

Second Half Keys to Success- AL Central

Hey Leatherheads, how are things? I hope you've been reading Jesse's articles about his recent stadium visits, if not, you've been missing out.

As we watch the summer wind down the races are becoming more clear. Up next is the two team race that is the AL Central:

In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, the Minnesota Twins
find themselves only one game behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.

At the beginning of these season I thought that the White Sox and the Twins would be where the Tigers and Indians are respectively and vice versa. Baseball can be a funny sport, as you see how that prediction has turned out.

Minnesota Twins: Here's a team that lost one of their best hitters and their best pitcher in the offseason but are still eighteen games over .500 and are one of the most exciting teams to watch in baseball. Led by their three stars, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Joe Nathan, the Twins find themselves fighting for the AL wildcard spot with the Boston Red Sox. All three have had great years thus far but this team's story has been some of the lesser known players stepping up, bringing consistency to their respective positions. Mauer has been solid at catcher and Morneau very solid at first. Nick Punto has been a pleasant surprise at second base by hitting .280 with 2 HRs and 23 RBIs in the absence of the injured Alexi Casilla. Casilla comes back this week which will once again make Punto a utility player, but this time he'll be the first bat off the bench. In what was supposed to be a platoon situation between Brandan Harris and Adam Everett at shortstop is slowing becoming a full-time position for Everett. Before Everett's recent hand injury that has left him day-to-day, Harris had been relegated to more of a utility infield position. Also, with the offensive emergence of Brian Buscher at third base, the Twins haven't minded using the light hitting, but gold-glove caliber Everett at shortstop. Buscher recently took the third base job from Mike Lamb who has been slumping all year, hitting .236 with 1 HR and 32 RBIs. Delmon Young has been average, .286 AVG with 7 HRs and 53 RBIs. Carlos Gomez has been very good in centerfield, using his speed much to his advantage tracking down fly balls. But his .251 AVG, 6 HRs, and 37 RBIs show that his still getting used to the major leagues. He was leading off but his abysmal .286 OBP has left Ron Gardenhire to go with right fielder Denard Span atop the lineup. He became a major part of the Twins plans when Michael Cuddyer was reinjured during a rehab stint and looks like will be out for the year. Span has gotten everyone's attention because of how he has stepped up over the past few months. On the year, he's hitting .314 with 2 HRs and 21 RBIs with a .396 OBP.

The Twins' starting rotation is not much different from the season's beginning with the exception of Livan Hernandez being released. Francisco Liriano, who recently got recalled from the minor leagues, has solidified himself as being the staff ace in only four starts. This is because the Twins four other starters have ERAs between 3.50 and 4.20. But each also have win totals between 7 and 10. They don't have even a number two starter, but when a team has four number 3 starters, it almost makes up for it. In the bullpen, you know Joe Nathan. But it's really been Jesse Crain and Dennys Reyes that have solidified the bullpen. When Pat Neshek went down with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in May, the bridge to Nathan looked iffy. But Reyes and Crain have done respectable jobs in the 7th and 8th innings respectively.

Chicago White Sox: The White Sox have gotten by much of the same way the Twins have with a good degree of consistency throughout the year. AJ Pierzynski has had a good year behind the plate, putting up around the same numbers he always does each year by hitting .294 with 12 HRs, and 53 RBIs. Paul Konerko has been putting up the same power numbers he usually does but with a significantly lower average, .228. Orlando Cabrera has also been hitting consistently with his career numbers. Alexei Ramirez has been a nice surprise at second base, giving the bottom of the line up some pop with his 14 HRs thus far this season while hitting .309. Joe Crede has been on the DL since June 22 with a back lumbar inflammation, but wasn't having too great of a year before his DL stint, hitting .254 with 17 HRs and 54 RBIs. Uribe has been playing 3rd in his absence but hasn't been doing too much out of the 9 hole in the lineup. Much of the White Sox's offense comes out of the outfield. Carlos Quentin (35 HRs and 97 RBIs), Nick Swisher (20 HRs and 61 RBIs), and Jermaine Dye (29 HRs and 79 RBIs) are having great power years. If you throw in designated hitter Jim Thome's 26 HRs and 73 RBIs, along with newly acquired Ken Griffey Jr.'s 16 HRs and 60 RBIs, the Sox's 3 to 6 six hitters can drive in a great deal of runs. But Cabrera and Pierzynski at the top of the lineup have produced OBPs of only .324 and .321 respectively, otherwise their RBI numbers would be even higher than they already are.

When it comes to pitching, the White Sox remain inconsistent as they have throughout the season. All four starters in the rotation (the fifth has been a merry-go-round the past month or so) have all posted at least 10 wins. But the top two, Mark Buerhle and Javier Vazquez have also posted 10 losses. John Danks and Gavin Floyd have been good especially Danks who has a 3.11 ERA. Bobby Jenks has been almost lights out in the bullpen. Octavio Dotel and Matt Thornton have done a good job with getting the game to Jenks. Dotel has struggled a bit of late, but should come around in a few more appearances.

Analysis: At the beginning of the season, no one would have thought the Twins would be where they're at right now. It is going to be a lot of fun to watch the Twins and the Chicago White Sox fight it out down the stretch. I'd love to see them make the playoffs but it remains to be seen if they can keep the pace while the White Sox have been here plenty of times before. I'd say unfortunately the Twins lose the division by 2 to 3 games or so and the Boston Red Sox take the Wildcard.

Shockingly, the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians remain 11.5 and 14.5 games back respectively. I never thought I'd be counting them out early but injury and ineffectiveness have ravaged both teams. They still have the pieces to contend next season, but lets see if that actually happens. And the Kansas City Royals, well, let's just say some predictions you can always count on.


All is good Leatherheads. Comment! Show us your out there!

Check it out

Since Jesse is motoring across the country checking out a bunch of stadiums and giving us the scoop on the stadiums themselves and the immediate surrounding areas, I read this article today and figured it relates somewhat. It focuses on every team and examines exactly how much they try to screw (or in a few rare cases, not-screw) us dear loyal fans. It's located at The Hardball Times which is in my opinion one of the best baseball sites around. At any rate, here is a link to the aforementioned article. It's really an interesting read on something I never thought much about. I encourage everyone to read it and if nothing else understand how the Mariners manage to suck off the field as well. Alrighty, that's all. Keep up the good work Jesse, I'm digging it.

Going Down to Cincinnati, Ohio . . .

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Hey Leatherheads, still at the hotel in Florence, Kentucky, a touching suburb a short ride across the river from Cincinnati. Post title comes from the song "Cincinnati, OH" by the Morris/Sussex County, New Jersey-based band Annoying Customer. So here's the review of Great American Ballpark.

The stadium scores major points because, like PNC Park and the new Nationals Stadium, it's on the banks of a river (the Ohio), with a beautiful panoramic view of the river as it passes by. I'd also like to stress that this is a corporate-sponsored stadium. I really wish more teams tried to work in at least a decent sounding name to their corporate-sponsored parks, for example, when the San Francisco Giants approached Ralph Lauren about sponsoring "The Polo Grounds." I completely understand why it's good to have a corporate sponsor (it basically pays for a superstar every year), but it would be nice if the names weren't quite as contrived as U.S. Cellular Field.

Great American is another open-space walk-around stadium. They shoot off something or other (cannons?) when homeruns are hit (Brandon Phillips hit one), which is pretty sweet. Edinson Volquez managed to pitch through quite a bit of trouble and it was a pretty exciting game (though that should not necessarily be included in the review).

As far as grabbing a bite before or after the game, we went to some restaurant/bar called "In Betweens," not a great place, but the waitress was nice enough. They also charged for water. We were hoping to just grab a slice, but no such luck. Also, no street meat outside, but there were quite a few people selling $1 bottles of Ice Mountain Water ("pure as the driven snow") and $3 bags of peanuts.

Similar to the rest of the stadiums we've been to, no one ushered you along if you stopped somewhere to take in a bit of the game. I feel like this freedom to wander around the parks at your leisure is so amazing, and yet it is present everywhere we go. It really drives home how crappy Shea is, and especially how crappy the people who run it treat us fans.

All in all, Great American Ball Park was simply a good experience. I feel, unfortunately, like I'm becoming desensitized to how great these new parks are (this year was also the first time I've seen games at the new Nationals and Phillies arenas) and I'm going to want to electrocute myself when I get back to New Jersey. I should have realized I'd feel this way because it's how my roommate, Shaun, felt when he came back from a vacation in Michigan a month ago.

It probably hurt the experience that we didn't get to see Adam Dunn or Joey Votto (though he did pinch hit). Newport on the Levee was a decent enough place to go out, kind of reminded me and Andrew of Downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, for those of you who've been there. $1 Miller Lites is always nice. We ate at Montgomery Inn, a very nice place with good ribs, but post-date your check for your next paycheck.

Great American Ball Park Grades:

Biggest Advantages: Walking around, Friendly service,
Biggest Drawbacks: Nothing special in comparison to the other stadiums we've been to
Overall Grade: B/B+

Up Next: Busch Stadium in Saint Louis, Missouri

In Detroit 442 / Maybe, Baby, I Could Ride With You

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What's up, Leatherheads? No time for an update this morning, as we were on road early in the a.m. to get to Cincinnati in time for today's 1:15 start. More on Cincinnati a little later, as this review is for Comerica Park in Detroit.

By the way, as a quick aside, I'd just like to update it that we attended Cleveland's Feast of the Assumption, which was a good time. Much lower key than New York's San Gennaro Festival, if any of you have been there. Additionally, Cleveland's West Side Market was a pretty fun place, kind of similar to Pike Place in Seattle, but different in many ways as well. Maybe Ichiro should check it out the next time he's in town.

So Comerica Park is another new stadium in the Jacobs Field mold. Like PNC Park and "The Jake," it was not designed to give a feel for the old-time ballparks, but instead to give a more modern sense. Another similarity to Jacobs Field is its openness and view of the city nearby, as well as the entrance being in the outfield.

Speaking of the city nearby, we arrived in Detroit with just enough time to take a little walk around and see some of the city. There was a park just a few blocks away (Mauritius Something or other Park) that wasn't too bad, but seemed kind of small. Additionally, a five- or ten-minute walk can take you to "GreekTown," which is a little neighborhood with a bunch of Greek restaurants where you can grab a gyro before the game (although we did not). GreekTown is pretty small, but if you have the time, it's kind of cool to see how close it is to the stadium. I feel like areas like that really suffer when parks come in and the corporate world takes over, but I guess that's not necessarily true (Little Italy and Camden Yards in Baltimore, for example).

Comerica is also another park where you can walk around the whole stadium to get different vantage points, which -- as I pointed out before -- is a really nice feature. We had standing room only tickets for the outfield balcony (a great view), which placed us in the vicinity of statues of past Tigers greats (and there have been a bunch). The only time we were asked to move on was when we accidentally stumbled into what I guess was a private event. The usher was less than polite, but then again, we were in Detroit.

Another great feature of Comerica was that they played pretty good music throughout. Even Curtis Granderson bats to Bell Biv Devoe. Oh yeah, and it was pretty cool to see the American League's Speed King, Justin Verlander.

Comerica Grades:

Biggest Advantages: Tigers statues, Great views of the game from almost every section, GreekTown
Biggest Drawbacks: No one sells $5 hats outside the stadium
Overall Grade: B+

Up Next: Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Ohio

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If I ever saw myself saying I'm excited going to Cleveland, I'd punch myself in the face, because I'm lying.

Today's title comes, of course, from Ichiro's famous lambasting of Cleveland, Ohio, home of Progressive (formerly Jacobs, named after the current Marlins first baseman, perhaps?) Field and the second stop on my stadium tour. I'm transmitting my thoughts via World Wide Web from Lakewood, just outside of Cleveland.

In order to fulfill the conditions of my parole, as well as my love of public service, I'll review the ballpark. But I'm going to call it Jacobs Field. So, without further ado, let's get to the nasty.

Jacobs Field opened in the early 90's, a few years after Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore (as long as I can remember). I'm not 100% sure why, but I feel very much like Camden started the idea of getting ballparks away from boring, drab, cookie-cutter stadiums and going back to the olden times or forward to the 21st Century. Any look is better than the Shea Stadium/Philadelphia Veterans Stadium look of the 60's/70's.

While Camden Yards sought progress through embracing the looks of the old-time ballparks, Jacobs Field sought progess through a new look, which has now become relatively commonplace. Like Camden Yards, PNC, Citizen's Bank and many others, visitors to Jacobs Field are treated to a view of the city's skyline. This is a great feature and one that I know my friend Craig favors.

There is a nice little Indians Hall of Fame section near the entrance to the park (which is in the outfield, kind of like the new Nationals Park). One thing I will complain about is that we came into the Stadium while the first inning was just beginning and as we were walking to our seats (watching Vlad Guerrero bat) an usher told us we had to walk to our seats from the inside, where we couldn't actually watch the game.

Cleveland was an okay city, probably not quite as bad as Ichiro would have you believe, but there also wasn't an incredible amount going on for a Friday night. $4 32 oz. Labatt Blues at the Winking Lizard is a nice touch. Oddly, it seems like no one in Cleveland knows how to cross the street, because there seem to be cops on every corner. It's sort of like being in elementary school.

Jacobs Grades:

Biggest advantages: Nice park, Good area nearby to hang out, Cheap parking
Biggest drawbacks: Not quite as nice as some of the other new stadiums (still very nice)
Overall mark: B+

Up Next: Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan

Come Put Me Out of My Misery / 'Cause I'm Not Dead (I'm in Pittsburgh)

Greetings, y'all, I am communicating with you via world wide web from beautiful Harmarville, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh. Today's title comes from Frank Black's song which you can listen to at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDLqJndTdQY -- a chill, laid-back song which makes me wonder where in tarnation Debaser came from.

Anyway, a quick review of PNC Park for all the Leatherheads that haven't had the good fortune to visit it. If you're in the area, definitely stop by. The stadium is situated in such a way as to overlook a couple of really sweet bridges. The seats were incredible (just a few rows off the field down the rightfield line) and were so affordable (just 20 bucks) that being a Mets fan makes me want to cry. Another great feature of the arena (and this is beginning to be customary for all the new ballparks) is that you can walk around the whole stadium. Citizens Bank Park (the new Phillies stadium) was constructed likewise.

In fact, PNC very much reminded me of CBP, except everything was so much lower, so much closer to the field. At the risk of alienating all the Phillies fans who read this, I have to give credit where it is due. PNC Park came first -- and it's better.

The seats were not situated perfectly for sight-lines, which was kind of annoying because you were sort of craning your neck the whole game to see the pitches, but other than that I really don't have any complaints.

Plus, there was a fireworks show with REO Speedwagon performing following the game (if that's what you're into. For me, it's not. No offense to all you REO Speedwagon Leatherheads out there).

Since this is a baseball site, I'm not going to review the city, and I really didn't have enough time to get to know it well, but the folks that I did meet (everyone from the ushers at the stadium to the bartender after the game) were all very nice. The title of this post is not indicative of the experience I've had here whatsoever.

PNC Grades:
Biggest advantages: Beautiful park, very affordable
Biggest drawbacks: Having to watch the Pirates play
Overall mark: A-

Four Kids on Tour, Three Thousand Miles

Hey . . . Leatherheads . . .

Just wanted to let you all know that a few high school friends and I are about to head out on a baseball stadium road trip. We'll be catching games in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago (Wrigley) and Milwaukee. Since I just got this laptop (big shout out to the good people at Wal Mart (is that an oxymoron?)!) and I (supposedly) blog about baseball, I think I ought to bring it along and do an update in each city.

So keep checking, as I'll be submitting entries almost every day for the next two weeks.

First up, Pittsburgh!

By the way, Flashing the Trivia: What song did this post come from? Follow-up: Whose story does the song tell?

Second Half Keys for Success- NL West

Hello Leatherheads, the trade deadline has came and passed so I'm here to give you the second half keys for success. In this post, I'll be doing the teams in the running for the National League West division.

Eric Gagne, the prize of last year's trade deadline acquisitions

So I present to you, the NL West:


Arizona Diamondbacks: The D'Backs have been playing better ball of late winning seven out of their last ten, but overall, they've just been a mediocre team. Left Fielder Connor Jackson has been the brightest spot of the offense hitting .321 with 12 home runs, 56 RBIs and a .404 OBP. At second base Orlando Hudson does what he always does, hit slightly above .300 with little power and an average OBP. Over at third base, Mark Reynolds is all or nothing, hitting .246 with 21 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .330 OBP. At first base Chad Tracy is a decent contact hitter, not much more than that. I could picture him being more in a platoon at first. In center, Chris Young covers a lot of ground out there but hasn't been doing much at the plate, hitting .236 this season. In right, Chris Burke has been a terrible option as Justin Upton remains on the DL. In their rotation, Brandon Webb and Dan Haren have been their usual great selves as Webb has 14 wins while Haren has so far posted a 2.36 ERA. In the bullpen, Brandon Lyon hasn't done a great job holding games down blowing five saves thus far this season. Middle relief hasn't been good either but Jon Rauch (4-2, 2.84 ERA, 46Ks in 50 innings) show be great in the 8th and maybe even the 9th inning down the stretch.

Analysis: The D'Backs mediocrity sadly makes them just good enough to win the division. The team has a lot of needs. They missed out on the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes, he would have fit well at first base once again making Chad Tracy a right fielder. They still need another bat to help protect Connor Jackson in the lineup, Reynolds does not cut it. Hopefully Chad Qualls will step up becoming the 7th inning guy. One more pitcher in the rotation would help too because Doug Davis will not hold up in the playoffs. Maybe Micah Owings will find himself again after being optioned to AAA. Or maybe he'll go all the way back to A to become an outfielder. Any one of these scenarios will ice the division for the D'Backs, but will they make a move?


Los Angeles Dodgers: For teams in the NL, especially in the West, all it may take is a move or two to push your team out of the chasm of mediocrity. The Dodgers have done just that, effectively assuring they will be battling for the NL West crown as opposed to falling apart like they did last year. They still won't overtake the Diamondbacks, but they should keep it interesting. First, the acquisition of Casey Blake for two minor leaguers. GM Ned Colletti wanted to acquire a shortstop, as he pushed hard for Pittsburgh's Jack Wilson, Toronto's David Eckstein, and Washington's Cristian Guzman. But when talks deteriorated, Colletti acquired Blake who was having a decent year in Cleveland (.296 AVG, 12 HRs, 60 RBIS). They hope Nomar Garciaparra can come back and play a respectable shortstop, but that will be a stretch, and it's also at least a month away from happening. Colletti also found away to erase the gamble they took on Andruw Jones who's career has crashed and burned over the past two seasons. They acquired the embattled, but overpowering offensive force that is Manny Ramirez. With the team hoping Matt Kemp can cover massive amounts of ground in center, the team is currently sending out Ramirez in left, Kemp in center, and Andre Ethier in right. The team also got an unexpected boost from set-up man Jonathan Broxton when closer Takashi Saito went on the DL with a elbow sprain. He has been five for five in save opportunities and only letting up one run since taking over as closer on July 18th.


Analysis: I do praise these moves that Colletti made. After a few seasons of having mediocre to just outright terrible seasons, he saw that this would be the best time to take a shot at the division. It also appears that though Manny will still be Manny, he does seem to have great respect for Joe Torre and has repeatedly said he will do anything Torre wants him to do for the best interest of the team. Though it remains to be seen if these recent comments are just Manny being Manny (aka bullshit). While I like the back-end of their bullpen with Saito (when he comes back) Broxton and Joe Beimel, I do not like their rotation at all. It's pretty much the veteran Derek Lowe and four unproven pitchers. That will not get you to the postseason.


Colorado Rockies: Normally I wouldn't even mention a team that is eight games out of a terrible division but in lieu of what the Rockies did last year, you can't count them out. Even though they didn't make a significant move at the deadline, they didn't last year either. But until they can get hot, injuries and inconsistencies are plaguing this sub-.500 team. Wily Taveras is not having a good year at the plate, Brad Hawpe is solid in right but I know the team had to have been expecting better than the .282 AVG, 17 HRs, and 56 RBIs he has this season(decent OBP at .383 though). Matt Holliday remains the only positive consistent element of this squad, doing his MVP thing he does every year (.346 AVG, 21 HRs, and 67 RBIs). In case your wondering he is hitting .317 on the road so there isn't much of a Coors Field effect. Garrett Atkins has been playing a serviceable first base and hitting like he always does (.294 AVG, 15 HRs, and 68 RBIs), filling in for the injured Todd Helton who is suffering from a "degenerative back condition." Ian Stewart is doing okay, but not providing much pop at the hot corner (.297 AVG, 5 HRs, 22 RBIs). He has also been tearing lefties up to the tune of a .526 AVG. Troy Tulowitzki is still trying to find himself after being injured most of last season. The bullpen is very streaky. Brian Fuentes is closer once again after faltering in the position last year and has been very good (2.86 ERA, 49 SO, 20 saves, in 44 IP). Manny Corpas is back to his set-up role again after serving as closer from the end of last season through the first few months of this season. In terms of middle relief Luis Vizcaino and Matt Herges have decent stuff but have not shown it this season. The starting rotation is unproven after Jeff Francis and Aaron Cook. Those two are always good but Ubaldo Jimenez, Glendon Rusch, and Jorge De La Rosa will not get you very far.


Analysis: I've learned to never count out the Rockies but I'm not sure how they will come back this year, especially with how strong the NL Central has turned out to be. I see the Cubs or Cards taking the wildcard, whoever doesn't win the division. Unless their pitching goes on a ridiculous run like they did last year the Rockies don't have a shot at the postseason.

Obviously, at this point, you can count out the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres.



Thanks for reading Leatherheads!! Up next for me, the AL Central.

P-U-D-G-E

In today's blockbuster deal, the New York Yankees traded RHP Kyle Farnsworth to the Detroit Tigers for C Ivan Rodriguez. If you're a Yankee fan, this is probably the best thing you've felt since October 2000. Farnsworth and his mastery of the 2-run homer will head to Detroit in exchange for Pudge Rodriguez. With Posada out, this move makes sense and Pudge, even though he doesn't walk much and is like 37 is still as quality a backstop as there is although (like most catchers) he's prone to a second half fall-off. Maybe getting rid of Farnsworth will open up a spot in the bullpen for my personal favorite Yankee, Chris Britton. Anyway, here are some pictures (courtesy of typing in names on Google Image Search):

Ivan Rodriguez with ladyfriend

Kyle "Blown Lead" Farnsworth

Chris "Copkiller" Britton

(yea I made that nickname up but w/e)

Oh, somewhere along the way, I found this pic of Jorge Posada's wife. You know, for a guy who's generally not considered anywhere close to attractive, he's done alright for himself.

And lastly, in huge Yankees news, my second favorite Yankee, Carl Pavano, made a rehab start yesterday - he gave up a hit in two innings. Hurry back C. Piddy, the Yankees could use your 130mph fastball and your arrogance.

Casey Jones, You'd Better Watch Your Speed

The Atlanta Braves finally moved 1B Mark Teixeira in exchange for 1B Casey Kotchman and righthanded pitching prospect Stephen Marek.

Teixeira, everyone knows, is a stud with the bat, career OPS+ 132 (139 in 2008: .283/.390/.512, 20 HR) and is also very accomplished in the field. We also know that he's a rent-a-player who is going to command somewhere in the $20M range for his contract this offseason.

Kotchman, career OPS+ 101 is an okay hitter, but very slick defender in the Lyle Overbay mold, but with a bit more power and not quite as good at getting on base (2008: .287/.327/.448, 12 HR). At 25, he still has some time to develop more power, and a 6'3", 210 lb frame suggests that it is a possibility.

Marek seems to be a bit of a throw-in. At 24 years old and still at AA, he is striking out a ton (about 11K/9IP), but also walking a bunch (4BB/9IP). If they can straighten out his control issues, he could become a decent relief pitcher. I don't really know anything about his stuff (though his high dominance and low control rates indicate that he is likely a power pitcher), so I do not want to comment too much on him right now.

Basically, this trade gives the Angels (65-40, 11.5 games ahead of 2nd Place Texas) a much needed offensive boost (they are currently 9th in the AL with 4.51 Runs/Game and just a 93 team OPS+). Thus far, they have outplayed their Pythagorean Record by eight games. Obviously, this trade was executed with an eye to the postseason, as they have a comfortable lead in the division. If Teixeira does not deliver this October, the deal should be deemed a failure.

They Called Him "X" Because He Was a Fuckin' Badass

The Pittsburgh Pirates dealt 1B-OF Xavier Nady and LH RP Damaso Marte to the New York Yankees in exchange for RH SP Jeff Karstens and Daniel McCutchen, RH RP Ross Ohlendorf and OF Jose Tabata.

The deal will certainly benefit the Yankees short-term, as they are adding a proven righthanded bat (.281/.337/.456, 108 OPS+ career) who has absolutely torn up the National League this year to the tune of .280/.383/.535 142 OPS+, as well as a very good lefty in the bullpen (something they've lacked all year) with a 1.25 career WHIP and 142 career ERA+. Marte's year has been typical, in 46 2/3 IP, he's stuck out 47, walked 16 and yielded 38 H for a 1.157 WHIP and 3.47 ERA. We'll see if it will be enough to get them into the playoffs this year.

YEAAAAAAAAAAA

Richie Sexson has signed with the Yankees. For more information, click here. In all actuality, this is probably a dumb signing, but I'm completely excited by it. Keep in mind I'm not much of a Yankees fan otherwise I'd more than likely be annoyed. But they did sign him for some power against lefties, are not paying him much at all (the aforementioned link says 150k and I've also read 390k but either way its barely anything for the Yankees) and the man did have ridiculous post Allstar break numbers just two years ago in 2006 (.322 BA, 1.012 OPS with 18 home runs).

Welcome to New York Richie.