Baseball. Blogging. Whenever.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Yay Jason!


Jason from IIATMS hits the big time:

Jason Rosenberg was heading home and listening to satellite radio when he heard that Manny Ramirez was fourth among National League outfielders in initial All-Star voting. By the end of the night, a new Web site was born: Vote for Manny.

"I said it would be funny if Manny got elected, because he's coming off a suspension on July 3 and the All-Star game is a week later, so they don't even have that sort of built-in protection," the 39-year-old from suburban Ardsley said Wednesday. "So I got home, and just quickly threw a Web site together" . . .

. . . Rosenberg is a Yankees fan who works in finance and has a regular blog devoted to baseball athttp://www.itsaboutthemoney.blogspot.com, which he started more than a year ago. He disapproves of the 2003 rule change pushed through by commissioner Bud Selig that gives the All-Star winner homefield advantage in the World Series.

"I'm not a Bud basher," he said. "I don't go out of my way to criticize everything he does. I think he's done some amazing things, the wild card and all sorts of other things."

He intends to keep the Manny Web site up and running through the All-Star game.

Remember us little guys when you're rich and famous, Jason.

UPDATE: Jason is going to be interviewed on Westwood One radio tonight too. All hail your omnipresent IIATMS overlord.
Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 4:04pm (59) Comments

Eric Gagne to the Can-Am League


Eric Gagne is making a comeback:

The Quebec Capitales baseball club got a surprise from the major leagues Tuesday in the form of a contract with Eric Gagne, the former star relief pitcher of LA Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers fame.

The Capitales, who play in the Can-Am League, announced they had signed Gagne who should be at the city’s Stade Municipal getting back into the role of starter in about a week’s time. Gagne will stay off the regular roster early on as he gets his arm back into the swing of things.

“When he’s able to pitch we’ll have a decision to make regarding our veterans."

He hasn't been able to pitch since 2004, so if I were the Capitales, I wouldn't hold my breath.
Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 3:15pm (2) Comments

Hillman Suspended


This sounds like a dubious suspension:

Kansas City manager Trey Hillman was suspended one game by Major League Baseball for spitting in an umpire's eye, something Hillman said was entirely accidental if it happened at all . . . "Suspended because while I was arguing spit reportedly came out of my mouth and hit him in the eye," Hillman said. "I didn't see it come out. There were raindrops falling. It takes a pretty talented person to be able to spit and yell at the same time. I was yelling. There was obviously no intent . . .

. . . Hillman said the umpire immediately accused him of spitting. "He said, 'You just spit in my eye. You spit in my eye.' He said it twice and then played it up," Hillman said . . . "It's a little bit shocking to me that nobody from Major League Baseball would ask my side of it, that you'd have a game taken away from you and suspended 5 hours before game time in a division race," he said.

If a little spittle flying form a guy's mouth is going to lead to a suspension, then they may as well ban arguing with umpires altogther. My view: anything short of a genuine loogie should be a fine at most.

It's probably also a good time for the ump to review the Ten Commandments of Umpiring. Number 4 and number 6 seem perfectly apt here.
Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 2:11pm (7) Comments

Baseball, Beer and Budget Travel


ShysterBall reader James Van Hooser just graduated from the University of Texas with a B.A. in English. This means he can (a) go to law school; (b) go to grad school; (c) learn guitar and take up busking; or (d) get in a Mustang full of beer, beef jerky, applesauce and a couple of his friends and take in as many baseball games as he possibly can this summer. James chose wisely:

Baseball: My two best friends and I just graduated from college and we are going on a three week road trip to delay our inevitable entrance into the “real world”. We are all avid baseball fans, so we framed our trip around seeing as many MLB games in as many different ballparks as our schedule would allow. This blog is an attempt to detail our experiences and hopefully inspire others to take similar baseball themed road trips.

Budget: We are all broke college students, so we have put this trip together for as little cash as possible (while still maintaining some semblance of fun and safety). If you prefer to have things spelled out for you, you could say we are trying to do this trip “on a shoestring”.

Beer: I am a fan of good beer. One of my goals on this trip is to drink only craft beer that I cannot get at home in Texas. I have a preliminary list of beers I want to try, but hopefully the locals in each city will point me in the right direction.

I'm not lying about the beef jerky and applesauce: here's the evidence. The beer is a legitimately big part of the trip too. I can fault neither his ambition nor his priorities. The only thing I can fault is the fact that he has named his car "Arwen." I find nothing wrong with naming one's car at the outset of a road trip, but "Arwen" is nerdy by even my supremely nerdy standards. Could have been worse I guess. He could have named it after a silver dragon from the Dragonlance books or something.

According to the schedule, James should be en route to Atlanta as we speak. I plan on following his progress with a jealous, jealous eye.
Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 1:52pm (11) Comments

Comment of the Day


This one comes in response to the Vote Manny post. You may be surprised to hear that it comes from David, who is one of ShysterBall's least popular commenters. I know, but (a) it's a good comment; and (b) I try to give everyone a chance. Not that I didn't have to delete a somewhat offensive non-sequitur from it first . . .

Wait a sec.

Just yesterday there was a link here at ShysterBall to an article that says that MLB is worried about their Fox ratings (the World Series and this year’s games have, apparently, all been clunkers).

So, what better way for MLB Inc. to drum up publicity then to once again rush off to the “steroids” well? It never runs dry, and fans genuinely love it.

In 1999, MLB Inc. did something similar by exploiting Pete Rose for free publicity for the “All-Century Team” at both the All-Star game and the World Series. So they’ve done it before and, mark my words, they’ll do it again.

Manny Ramirez will be an All-Star. I 100% guarantee it. Even if the fans don’t vote him in, the suits will make sure that he’s there somehow. This will create the predictable media maelstrom, complete with ESPN polls and Lupica and Plaschke ranting and raving in faux outrage, which will, in turn, generate more eyeballs to the TV.

Tell the fellas running that blog that they needn’t bother: Bud Selig is already working overtime to make sure that Manny’s in St. Louis this July.

David may be slightly nuts, but I don't know that I disagree with him here.
Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 12:28pm (39) Comments

Keith Law’s Mock Draft


I'm out of my league when it comes to the draft, so it's good that guys like Keith Law are around to break it down for us. Today Keith has his prediction of how the first round will play out (sorry, though, Insider only). As always, good reading and good analysis from Keith.

***Spoiler Alert!!!***

He has the Nats taking Strasburg and the Braves taking a pitcher from Georgia. Shocking, I know!
Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 11:58am (2) Comments

My Morning in Exile


NBC: bringing you the best Wednesday lineup since they dropped "Real People," "Diff'rent Strokes," "Facts of Life," and "Quincy" on you back in 1980:

  • Nolan Ryan has taken the training wheels off the Rangers' pitching staff. I was dubious of this when I first read about it, but Ryan and Mike Maddux give conditioning and monitoring enough lip service to where I may be coming around.


  • Manny Ramirez for the All-Star team.


  • The Boston media drools over Joe Mauer and it's pretty damn disgusting if you ask me. Which you didn't, but by now you know I pop off about nearly everything.


  • Stay classy, Mike Rizzo.


  • Clint Hurdle is a dead man walking.


  • Finally, are you interested in working for a professional sports team? Well, good luck with that.
    • Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 11:32am (11) Comments

    And That Happened


    I'm lazy this morning, so if you want box scores, go and get them here.

    Mets 6, Nats 1: Livan Hernandez shows how you stick around baseball for 15 years getting 225 innings a year despite the fact that you kind of stink: you throw tons of pitches without getting tired and occasionally, just occasionally, you rip off a killer start like this one (CG, 9 H, 1 ER) to keep the overall numbers closer to average than they typically feel. Oh, debut for Fernando Martinez (0-3 and an RBI on a fielder's choice).

    Orioles 7, Blue Jays 2: The smallest crowd in the history of Camden Yards showed up to watch the Blue Jays fall further into the abyss. The crowds will be larger this weekend, however, as Matt Wieters will be called up to make his Major League debut. Prediction: Mere anarchy will be loosed upon the world, the blood-dimmed tide loosed, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence will be drowned. The best will lack all conviction, while the worst will be full of passionate intensity.

    Indians 5, Rays 1: At five games back, the Rays have matched the farthest out of first place they ever were last year. Except that came in April last year, so now may be a good time to start declaring them dead. Well, preparing to think about declaring them dead anyway. By the way, every run in this game came on a home run. It probably happens a lot, but I always like when I notice that sort of thing before someone points it out to me.

    Phillies 5, Marlins 3: Joe Blanton was lights out (7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 11K) and Hanley Ramirez had to leave the game with tightness in his groin in the third. I hate it when that happens.

    Royals 6, Tigers 1    : Zack Greinke continues to maraud his way through the American League, this time making mincemeat of the Tigers (CG, 6 H, 1 ER, 8K 0 BB).

    Reds 6, Astros 4: As of Monday Joey Votto was still having problems with dizziness. His home run last night must have been a case of him swinging for the ball in the middle. And a day after letting Harang pitch both sides of a rain delay, Dusty pulls Micah Owings at 99 pitches and doesn't let any of the five subsequent relievers pass 16 pitches. At this point I can only conclude that he's just messin' with the pitch-count hysterics and Dusty haters out there. Which is probably what I'd do if I were Dusty Baker.

    Cubs 6, Pirates 1: A rain-shortened final. Milton Bradley walked twice, so apparently the umpire vendetta against him has come to an end.

    Cardinals 8, Brewers 1: Bad day all around for Milwaukee, as they lose the game, lose sole possession of first place, and lose Ryan Braun early when he got popped on the wrist by an Adam Wainwright pitch. Corey Hart is lost too: He's 11 for his last 66 and left a lot of runners on the bases last night.

    Twins 5, Red Sox 2: Joe Mauer is finally held at bay, but no one has an answer for Justin Morneau yet (2-3, HR, 3 RBI). David Ortiz was moved down in the order for the Sox. I'm not sure why people make such a big deal about this, but they do.

    Giants 4, Braves 0: Tim Lincecum is really good (8 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 8K). Kris Medlen may be some day, but he ain't yet (5.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER). Send him back down and bring up Hanson.

    Diamondbacks 6, Padres 5: Arizona ends San Diego's win streak, despite almost blowing a big lead in the final two innings. Chris Young ended things with a pretty spiffy catch at the wall.

    A's 4, Mariners 3: The Mariners do blow a three-run lead late, wasting a strong outing from Jarrod Washburn. It was all singles and walks that did it for Oakland, but they'll take it.

    Dodgers 7, Rockies 1: What were the odds that Livan Hernandez and Eric Milton would pitch well and get wins on the same night? It if wasn't for Miguel Batista coughing up that A's-Mariners game I would have thought that we has been cast into some other dimension where black is white, up is down, and cruddy pitchers get guys out all the time.

    White Sox 4, Angels 2: Jayson Nix homered twice and played some nifty defense and Bartolo Colon was better than he's been in several starts.

    Rangers 7, Yankees 3: Joba Chamberlain threw way too many pitches early and got knocked out after four innings. If he's ever going to live up to his potential he's going to have to build some efficiency into his game.
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 5:45am (5) Comments