My Morning in Exile

I’m shocked I had time to write these posts, what with putting together my “Vote for Jerry Hairston, Jr.” website. What, we’re only outraged at certain PED users? Pfft.

  • If only that one landowner hadn’t held out when Citi Field was built, forcing it to jut out its right field bleachers like that.
  • The Baltimore Sun has written Matt Weiters a guide to Charm City.
  • Mauer and Morneau like what they see at Target Field.
  • No one is all that excited for Randy Johnson’s big milestone.
  • Dice-K is ssssssllllllloooooowwww.
  • Finally, Curb Alert: one baseball team.
  • I have a couple of meetings this afternoon, so it may be a bit slow today. Check back, though, because I’ve been known to blow off meetings.


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    MooseinOhio
    14 years ago

    I’m not saying Dice-K was a bad signing but I will find it hard to believe that the Red Sox will get a return on their $100 million investment.  As a pitcher he appears to be sliding into the slot of a decent #3 pitcher – so not worth the money spent on him.  However there may be monies streams associated with him that help justify the expense in non-baseball terms (e.g., increase marketing oppunities in Asian, good will with rising young talent) but that may be hit or miss. 

    Of course, the slow pace of his games may result in an increase in concession sales and at $8 plus for a beer and $5 for a dog maybe the extra hour for the game pays off.

    lar
    14 years ago

    I posted this over on the NBC site, but I like the community here better, so I’m re-posting the comment:

    At that event with Darren Sutton that I blogged about recently, someone asked him about Randy Johnson. Sutton’s the D-Backs’ TV guy after all, so he should have a pretty good feel for who Randy Johnson is. I can’t remember exactly what he said (it *was* a month ago), but it was something along these lines: “Randy is a great competitor and good for him that he’ll be getting #300 this year. But, if I were the Giants, I’d be worried about his competitiveness after he gets #300.” He then talked about how the D-Backs didn’t want him back (“the reason they gave him such a crappy offer this winter is because they did *not* want him to come back.”) and how the other players on the team really resented him and the way he acted in the clubhouse. He told a story of how, in September and still fighting for the playoffs, Arizona played a series in Colorado but Randy didn’t fly with the team. Instead, he just met them in St Louis for his start, and then left town. It didn’t sit well with his teammates.

    I wonder, though, if Johnson is working so hard for #300 because he truly feels it’s a milestone that he wants to have or if he feels that it’s a milestone that everyone (ie, the press) thinks he should have. Either way, I can see how it might manifest itself in his personality as less than excited. But, if it’s the latter, it might be particularly joyless.

    I just hope he goes winless in his next 5 or so starts so that he’ll still be sitting on 300 when the Giants make it to Milwaukee at the end of the month. (His home/road splits are pretty drastic, by the way. he’s more than capable pitching in San Francisco. The road is giving him major problems, though.)

    Richard in Dallas
    14 years ago

    Hicks HAD to offer a majority interest for sale because nobody in their right mind would invest $100 million+ in a sports franchise where Hicks has final say.  He bought the team from the Bush led group just as they were coming into their own, and ejoyed 3 out of 4 years going to the playoffs.  He has since driven the franchise into the ground, and had it not been for Nolan making huge changes in how things are done, they’d still be headed downhill toward Kansas City.  He did the same thing with the Stars in the NHL. 

    As for that “other Dallas Billionaire” that baseball doesn’t like very much, Dallas, in general, LOVES him.  He at least shows some passion for his team!  Hicks’ response, when being asked about falling attendance a couple of years ago responded with “When the fans start buying tickets, we’ll invest the money in players that can win”.  Uh, Tom, you got that backwards…..
    Dallas/Fort Worth is the 5th largest media market in the U.S., and should not be treated as, or considered, a small market team.  Look at the Cowboys and Mavericks!

    adam
    14 years ago

    The best part of the Dice K whining is that Kattaras got absolutely obliterated making a great play at the plate on Gomez.  The guy gets knocked into the next area code, and just when he wakes up, his pitcher throws him under the bus.  Nice.  It’s starting to look like the Yanks $40 million on Igawa was actually a $60 million savings.

    Hollywood Joe
    14 years ago

    Craig

    Amen on Citi – Really this whole stadium discussion ends up being just another reason to love the Dodgers. 

    Dodger Stadium: Still the best place to watch and play a baseball game in the world (I had a chance to play their twice but that is another story).  I don’t care how many “charming” bandboxes they make, Chavez Ravine is form, function, and beauty all rolled into one.  It is perfect like Vin Scully.

    And in case you need more reason to continue your flirtation with the Blue, here is a true story from the Baseball Chronicle:

    http://thebaseballchronicle.com/personal_stories/october_7_1977

    Come on in Craig, the water is fine…

    morineko
    14 years ago

    Those 58-foot pitches are Kottaras’ fault? Matsuzaka went straight into the clubhouse instead of watching the rest of the game, too, and it looked like he asked to be pulled.

    Also, when the Sox played the Twins in MN last year, Matsuzaka sent a ball sailing about 2 feet behind Justin Morneau. Varitek was catching.

    themarksmith
    14 years ago

    You know who else doesn’t seem incredibly excited? Giants fans. He was brought in, partially, to bring up attendance numbers. There were 40,000 for Jonathan Sanchez. There were 30,000 for Lincecum. There were 27,000 from Johnson, but I guarantee you that there were less people in the ballpark than that. It seemed to be a bit cooler, but it wasn’t that much cooler.

    Richard in Dallas
    14 years ago

    About Johnson and attendance – with 299 under his belt, I’d be willing to bet that they sell out every time he starts untill he gets another.  If not, it shows the sorriness of San Franciscans, or whatever other cities he starts in before 300.

    Mark
    14 years ago

    My take on why there isn’t more excitement for Johnson’s run at #300 goes something like this. I’ll be playing the part of “Uncaring Fan:”

    Guy: Hey, Randy Johnson is only 1 win away from #300!

    Me: Randy Johnson? Is he still playing? Oh hey, look—how come Mythbusters is a repeat tonight? Crap.