The Hardball Times http://www.hardballtimes.com/main Baseball. Insight. Daily. en ccalcaterra@gmail.com Copyright 2009 2009-07-03T15:19:47+00:00 My Morning in Exile http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/my-morning-in-exile070309/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/my-morning-in-exile070309/
  • This was here and not at NBC, but many people miss late night posts so I thought I'd bump it.


  • Baseball will raise awareness of -- and money for -- ALS during tomorrow's games. Good for baseball.


  • Weisman and Simers seem to get this stuff right, but everyone else at the L.A. Times is out to lunch when it comes to Manny Ramirez. The latest: they want you to boo him. Classy.


  • More on the Texas Rangers bailout. DuPuyspeak: the Rangers didn't need money for payroll, they're just trying to "help assure a stable environment" for the team. One wonders how unstable things would be if no one got paid today.


  • Scott Boras wants to use Japanese baseball as a bluff to enrich Stephen Strasburg. It ain't gonna work.


  • Marchman says Francoeur should be in the All-Star Game. Why you gotta hate like that, Tim?


  • Finally, the Indians are on pace to lose 100 games for the seventh time. Only seven? I would have lost that bet.


    • And with that I'm done for the Fourth of July weekend. Probably, anyway. If something strange or major happens -- of it I just have too many beers and get some time on my hands -- I may check in with some other stuff. If I don't, however, have yourself a merry little Independence Day.

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Craig Calcaterra 2009-07-03T15:19:47+00:00     And That Happened http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/and-that-happened070309/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/and-that-happened070309/ Astros 7, Padres 2; Look, between my two bloggy spaces and the water cooler at work I have probably talked about Manny Ramirez more than anyone in the past couple of weeks. And I'll admit, my reasons for bringing him up are often tenuous at best. But nothing I've written about the guy is as tenuous as this bit from the game story, describing how a swarm of bees descended on Petco Park in the ninth inning: "The bees arrived more than 24 hours before Manny Ramirez makes his comeback from a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy, when the Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series against San Diego on Friday night." Did anyone get Manny's comment on the bees? Where does Plaschke stand on all of this? I WANT TO KNOW, DAMMIT!

    Mets 9, Pirates 8: In town for a makeup game, the Mets overcome Tim Redding getting shelled (2.1 IP, 6 H, 5 ER), and then overcome K-Rod blowing the save in the ninth (though he did vulture the win). Jerry Manuel: "We could have just said, `Let's pack up and head to Philly, it's a short flight, let's get this out of the way.'" "They chose to fight and I thought that was what was most impressive." I don't much like Jerry Manuel so I appreciate that maybe I'm being too hard on him here, but really, could your team have chosen to just pack it in, Jerry? Is that a potential option in the current Mets universe such that their choice not to do so is laudable?

    Reds 3, Diamondbacks 2: Joey Votto was the hero, going 4 for 6 and hitting the game winning single in the 10th. The Dbacks have lost ten of twelve. They dead? Yep, they're dead.

    Cardinals 5, Giants 2: Are we sure this was only a four game series? It feels like they've been playing for two solid weeks. Anyway, Todd Wellemeyer offers a bit of an F.U. to everyone in St. Louis who has been screaming for him to be sent down or disappeared or shot or whatever (7.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 6K). A couple of RBI for Ryan Ludwick who, according to Rick Sutcliffe on Wednesday, needs to start hitting before Albert Pujols can expect to start seeing anything to hit. It was a moderately useful insight the first seven times he made it, but it declined in utility over the next dozen or so times it was repeated.

    Braves 5, Phillies 2: The Bravos sweep the phirst place Phils, bringing them within two games of first themselves. Or, put differently, making them three games more likely to do some stupid deal to try and contend this year instead of loading for bear in 2010. My view of things is that if they can contend with what they have, wonderful, I'll enjoy it. But any deal apart from unloading Jeff Francoeur is probably a bad move. As for this game, someone better check Bobby Cox for banned stimulants. He used 18 players in this one, and I don't think he's done that since Clinton's first term.

    Mariners 8, Yankees 4: Ichiro, Branyan and Chris Woodward of all people join in the Mariner hit parade, ending the Yanks' seven game winning streak.

    Cubs 9, Brewers 5: Derek Lee bangs in seven runs on a three run homer and a grand slam, as the Cubs shell Greenbrier East alum Seth McClung. Stupid Greenbrier East. Woodrow owns you, Spartans! Hells yeah!

    Angels 5, Orioles 2: Bobby Abreu flashes back several years and shows that yes, he is capable of hitting home runs. Two actually. Meanwhile, John Lackey flashes back to the non-2009 portions of his career to show that he can still pitch like an ace (8 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 7K). Nothin' much doin' for Baltimore outside of a Luke Scott home run. Game story: "Orioles' 3B Ty Wigginton replaced Melvin Mora in the lineup. Mora asked for the night off after the trip to the West Coast." OK. For what it's worth, even my old man sucks it up and plays through jet lag when he visits my brother in San Diego, and he's 65 and flies coach. What, Mora couldn't have gotten a few winks on the plane?

    White Sox 4, Royals 1: Bruce Chen? Really? In the same season the Royals ran Horacio Ramirez out there? What, was Terrell Wade not available? Jung Bong won't return your calls, Dayton? Aw, don't look at me like that, whaddaya gonna do, ban me or someth----

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Craig Calcaterra 2009-07-03T09:35:34+00:00     Waiver Wire: NL http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/waiver-wire-nl-0703/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/waiver-wire-nl-0703/
    Click the title to read more.

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Michael Street 2009-07-03T06:00:03+00:00     Waiver Wire: AL http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/waiver-wire-al-0703/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/waiver-wire-al-0703/
    Click the title to read more.

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Rob McQuown 2009-07-03T05:59:59+00:00     Master of fooling http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/master-of-fooling/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/master-of-fooling/
    Click the title to read more.

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Max Marchi 2009-07-03T05:03:41+00:00     A conversation with Crazy Horse http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/a-conversation-with-crazy-horse/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/a-conversation-with-crazy-horse/
    Click the title to read more.

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Bruce Markusen 2009-07-03T05:01:42+00:00     Tiger Stadium Snuff Film http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/tiger-stadium-snuff-film/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/tiger-stadium-snuff-film/ at about the 3:05 mark of his new one.

    Detroit natives of a certain age may get a little misty through the whole thing.

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Craig Calcaterra 2009-07-03T02:08:49+00:00     Rany is banned by the Royals (NOW WITH UPDATE) http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/rany-is-banned-by-the-royals/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/rany-is-banned-by-the-royals/ Last week, Rany Jazayerli sent a heat-seeking missile in the direction of the Royals' medical staff. The Royals read it. As a result, the Royals have banned him. Banned him from what is not exactly clear inasmuch as Rany lives and works in Chicago and isn't exactly a constant presence at Kaufman Stadium, but banned he is.

    I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous.

    UPDATE: I've given this more thought.

    I'm still trying to get my brain around this. I mean, the Royals organization obviously reads Rany, or else they wouldn't have gotten mad at what he wrote. However, if they do read Rany, surely they realize that he's one of the best fans in the history of fandom. For years and years he has been optimistic about the Royals, giving them way more benefit of the doubt than they were probably ever entitled. No, it's never been blind faith -- Rany is not some mindless fanboy -- but he has long avoided the cynicism and hopelessness that tends to take over your more critically-minded followers of historically poor performing teams. More importantly, Rany is one of the team's most high-profile fans. In that capacity he gives voice to what many thousands of fans are thinking.

    In light of this, when Rany levels criticism, it's safe to assume that (a) it's serious criticism, not a cheap shot; and (b) many, many people who buy Royals tickets are thinking the same way. This doesn't mean you roll over, of course. To the contrary, when a guy like Rany says what he said, the Royals' first impulse should have been to ask themselves whether he had a point. If he did, great, it was a worthy comment. If he didn't, that's fine too. Call him a sonofabitch in the privacy of the team office and make it clear to anyone who matters (i.e. the trainer Rany went after) that he has the team's support and no one cares what this blogger thinks.

    But they didn't do that. They got defensive and pissy in a very public way. And by doing that, the Royals sent a signal to an important segment of their fan base -- the plugged-in segment -- that they can't tolerate reasoned criticism. And if one can't tolerate reasoned criticism, one isn't going to act on it.

    Which raises the question: In light of this, why on Earth would anyone with a brain continue to be a Royals fan?*

    UPDATE II: This is not the first time the Royals have acted so petulantly.

    UPDATE III: It's over, and while the Royals are apparently still barring their employees from appearing on Rany's radio show -- as is their right -- they have rescinded their threat to bar team-access to any station that airs Rany's show (got that?). Of course, as J.C. Bradbury noted on his Facebook post "They recanted only b/c they got caught." Specifically, because an Internet #### storm happened and everyone saw how ridiculous the Royals were being.

    None of this changes what I said above about the Royals. There's no escaping that they're focused on the wrong things. There's also no escaping that, if this how they respond to external dissent, there's no reason to believe that they're making the right decisions internally either, because all good decisions are made in a setting where people can feel free to say anything without fear of reprisal.

    This was probably stated too strongly and/or inartfully. I did not mean to say that Royals fans are stupid. I understand that fandom is not always a rational thing. The comment was merely intended to make even ardent Royals supporters think hard about their support for their team in light of this little development. I probably could have stated it better.

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Craig Calcaterra 2009-07-02T19:16:54+00:00     Meet Selena Roberts (and an actually worthy person too) http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/meet-selena-roberts-and-an-actually-worthy-person-too/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/meet-selena-roberts-and-an-actually-worthy-person-too/ Here's an event for you, at least if you're in Brooklyn this evening:

    Gelf's Varsity Letters sports reading series returns on Thursday, July 2, at 7:30 p.m., with a night dedicated to baseball. At this free monthly event in DUMBO, Brooklyn, hosted by Gelf and Jan Larsen Art, Scott Price, Selena Roberts, and members of the New York Daily News sports investigative team will read from and talk about their work, and take questions. Price has the wrenching tale of the life and death of [Mike Coolbaugh]. Roberts will speak about her controversial biography of Alex Rodriguez. And the Daily News team will discuss its exposé of Roger Clemens and steroids in baseball.

    Admission is free. Go to mock Selena Roberts, but stay to listen to Scott Price, whose Coolbaugh book sounds really, really good.

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Craig Calcaterra 2009-07-02T18:30:30+00:00     Hicks in hock http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/hicks-in-hock/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/article/hicks-in-hock/ The Rangers' financial woes continue:

    Amid increased internet chatter Wednesday that Tom Hicks’ sports group - Hicks Sports Group - financial woes are deepening and that the club has borrowed money from MLB’s rainy-day fund, team officials took a strange approach.

    They went silent.

    The chatter arose Wednesday after a local blog reported hearing on a national radio broadcast the team had borrowed $15 million from MLB to make its most recent payroll obligations and to fund ongoing operations. Asked about the reports, Hicks referred questions to team spokesman John Blake, who said the team would have no comment on the financial situation.

    It's only a matter of time before the Rangers' become baseball's General Motors.

    Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> ]]>     Craig Calcaterra 2009-07-02T17:37:53+00:00