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I’ve found my subjects for celebrity-athletes in numerous different ways. I still don’t know how I find these people, or why I even know who else they look like (what can I say, it’s a gift).
Today’s subject was found by doing what I do best, watching TV (although a bit of the credit also belongs to proximity, as today’s athlete plays for one of the teams I covered during my internship out in Sacramento).
Today’s Athlete: Juan Uribe, shortstop for the San Francisco Giants.
I don’t know whether it’s the violent swing, chubby face, creepy demeanor that made me notice; but, whatever the reason, Uribe bears a striking resemblance to one of my favorite rappers: Jadakiss.
It all started a little over a week ago, when I went to a Giants game at AT&T ballpark (one of the most picturesque ballparks you’ll ever see). I remember sitting in the press box when, all-of-the-sudden, some Spanish music starts blaring in my ears. Uribe was up to hit and my eyes fixated on his bat. Let me just say, that this dude has the most violent swing of all-time (sorry Gary Sheffield, but his is just stupid). I’ve never seen somebody work that hard for an opposite field single in my life (and I used to play baseball…ish).
His swing only enhanced my belief that I came to the previous night (while watching music videos on MTV Jams): he is baseball’s version of Jadakiss. Jadakiss might be the only rapper (other than Game and Eminem) that genuinely scares me (obviously Eminem scares me for different reasons). I feel like he will actually shoot me if he had the chance. I’m a relatively big dude, but I really don’t think that’d matter against a goon like Jadakiss. That’s how I felt about Uribe when I walked into the Giants clubhouse after the game.
Both guys are reasonably big, with really chunky faces (when they wear fitted hats, they look a lot like Mr. Met). The two are also un-humanly violent (maybe not outside of their professions, but they’ve got some hidden aggression). Tiger should blame Uribe for the way he got clocked by, his now ex-wife, Elin; I’m almost positive she took notes from watching Uribe’s baseball swings.
Imagine Uribe stepping into the batters box and unloading on a hanging curveball. If you’ve ever seen his swing, you’ll know that he whips the bat, drops it, raises his arms, and swags out of the batters box, all in one fluid motion (all his missing is the “Aheeeeeeh!” and you’d swear Jadakiss played baseball).
Both men are at the top of their game, and still have at least a few years left in the tank. I’m not sure how much longer Jada’s raspy voice or Uribe’s maniacal swing will hold up over time; however, I don’t see either man changing anytime soon.
By Aaron Hilton Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401
Continuing on my ‘old school’ kick, I decided to go back to one of the greatest crime/mystery movies of all-time, The Usual Suspects.
To be honest, I just saw the movie for the first time last summer and it was a revelation. I have since seen it about 6-times and it never gets old; those movies that keep you in suspense until the very end have always been a personal favorite.
Today’s Athlete, Scott Rolen, third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds.
Rolen used to be one of my favorite baseball players, in the early 2000s. Ever since I saw Superman Returns all I could think about was how much Rolen and Kevin Spacey – who played Lex Luthor – looked alike.
Both men have, at one point or another, been heralded as one of the best in their respective professions. Rolen was the prototypical, power-hitting third basemen with a laser arm and a knack for making SportsCenter’s Top Plays. Spacey was one of the best actors of my generation whose artistic range knew no bounds.
They both have that awkward, old man smile that almost makes them look like serial killers. They both have the same, squinty eyes and facial expressions. It makes perfect sense that each man would be somehow related. The funniest part about it is the age and size difference.
Spacey is 16-years older than Rolen, and Rolen has about six-inches and 100-pounds on Spacey; yet, somehow, I just can’t separate the two. I could see Rolen limping into the batters box, dragging his foot on the ground like ‘Verbal’ Kint – Spacey’s character from The Usual Suspects – then when the pitcher enters the wind-up (spoiler alert!) he fixes his stature and goes all Kaiser Soze on the pitch.
Doing movies like K-Pax nearly (and should have) ruined Spacey’s career, in my eyes. Playing with the Blue Jays in ’08 looked like the end for Rolen; however, both men persevered and rejuvenated their sparkling careers (although neither of them will fully recover from those poor decisions).
Rolen’s career will likely be over within the next 2-3 years – at age 38 – whereas Spacey has remained relevant well into his 50’s. Maybe Spacey can give his long-lost brother some pointers on longevity, or maybe even use him as a stunt double in Superman Returns…Again.
By Aaron Hilton Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401
AL Central – The AL Central is strictly a 3-team race. Kansas City has taken its regular place towards the bottom of the division and the Indians are just a shade above God-awful. However, any division with Ozzie Guillen and Joe Mauer is worth a close look.
Chicago White Sox – The South Siders are 1.5 games ahead of the Twins in first place and have just made a move that could possibly lead to them getting their man, Adam Dunn. Their acquisition of Edwin Jackson probably isn’t to bolster their rotation (c’mon, dude has a 5.16 ERA) but he does have upside if that’s what they chose to do with him. I think this trade is foreshadowing an interesting day to come at tomorrow’s deadline. Possible Players: OF Adam Dunn – Washington Nationals, 1B – Prince Fielder – Milwaukee Brewers.
Minnesota Twins – With Morneau still dealing with symptoms of a concussion he received just before the All-Star break, the Twins will likely need some help if they want to win the Central. They have already made a preemptive strike by trading for, closer, Matt Capps. Twins probably won’t pursue a bat in a trade; OF Delmon Young has ramped up his offensive effort since the break and is doing a great job of filling the void left by Morneau’s absence. I think giving up their top catching prospect for Capps is probably the last big splash coming out of the Twin Cities this season. Possible Players: possibly low level relievers like Ramon Ramirez of the Red Sox or Will Ohman from the Orioles, but nothing big. Capps was their blue chipper.
Detroit Tigers – After acquiring Jhonny Peralta from the Indians, it’s unlikely that Mike Lowell will wind up with the Tigers; however, anything is possible. Their focus now will probably turn to securing their rotation. I don’t know if they will be able to find a good deal for a starting pitcher between now and Saturday, but it would definitely help. I’m not sure if Verlander and Scherzer can shoulder the load alone. Possible Players: SP Paul Maholm – Pittsburgh Pirates, SP Kevin Millwood – Baltimore Orioles, SP – Jarrod Washburn – free agency.
Kansas City Royals – The Royals, again, are the go to team for deals at the deadline. A number of teams have been linked to David DeJesus; however, Kyle Farnsworth and Bruce Chen could also be finding new homes by the end of the weekend. The Red Sox and Yankees could make some sense for a Farnsworth deal – even though his 2.5 seasons in NY were very unsuccessful. Possible Players: They have a good, young pitcher in Greinke to build a team around; but the '09 Cy Young winner wont be enuogh. I could see them surprising everyone by dealing Alex Gordon as a part of a package deal - which would likely land them some serious talent - but I don’t know if the team is ready to give up on their golden boy.
Cleveland Indians – The Indians have already made one deal, getting rid of Jhonny Peralta, but there could be more to come. Travis Hafner, Rafael Perez and Jake Westbrook could be on their way out as well. This is purely based on speculation and my own personal opinion, but it could be true. Last year, they traded Victor Martinez to the Red Sox for righty Justin Masterson; it will be interesting to see if they part ways with “Pronk” (Hafner) as well. Possible Players: The Indians could use some help on their infield as well as in the bullpen. If Grady Sizemore can get healthy and Masterson can figure it out next year, this could be a team to watch in the Central in ’11.
NL Central – The biggest division in baseball has only two viable contenders. Cincinnati and St. Louis are deadlocked atop the central division and it’s looking like the Reds are for real this season. All the other teams are sellers so this should prove to be one of the more active divisions in terms of both buying and selling this season.
St. Louis Cardinals – Their bats are fine in the outfield; however, with the exception of Pujols at first base, the Cards are very thin in the infield. Yadier Molina, Felipe Lopez, Skip Schumaker and Tyler Greene are all hitting below .270 and none of the other Cardinals hitters are buyable leadoff hitters (maybe Colby Rasmus but he’s better served further down the lineup or at the 2-spot). I look for them to back up their outstanding pitching staff with a reliable hitter for their middle infield who can possibly hit lead-off. Possible Players: SS/2B Julio Lugo (.255 avg. but he hit well for them last year), 2B Luis Castillo – New York Mets (a career .291 hitter with speed), INF Gordon Beckham – Chicago White Sox (price may be too high).
Cincinnati Reds – The Reds are in the opposite position of the Cardinals; their infield is hitting well, but they could use some help in the outfield. Jay Bruce and Johnny Gomes are solid, not great, in the outfield; however, Drew Stubbs is hitting only .235 with a .309 OBP. I could see them trying to find a replacement in the outfield, but I’m not sure that they will pursue a big name like Dunn or Corey Hart. Possible Players: OF David DeJesus – Kansas City Royals, OF Garrett Jones – Pittsburgh Pirates, OF Cody Ross – Florida Marlins.
Milwaukee Brewers – The Brewers are sellers this year (whether they want to believe it or not). There have been talks of trading Prince Fielder as well as Hart, and rebuilding the team around Yovanni Gallardo and Ryan Braun. I like the idea, and they should get a lot of major-league-ready prospects for them if/when they decide to go through with a trade. Possible Players: prospects, prospects, prospects. They are building for the future, not a playoff run this year; however, I do expect them to hold on to veteran 2B Rickie Weeks.
Chicago Cubs – Those poor Cubbies. This year will not be the end of their century-long World Series curse; however, they can dump some hefty contracts and retool for a run next year. I think they’ll keep Soriano, but I don’t know if any MLB team will bite on Carlos Zambrano. Big-Z just has too much baggage; but, if they could move him, it would definitely make their team better for next year. Possible Players: step one will be finding a buyer for Zambrano; the next step will be to try and find a manager to take over for Lou Piniella in 2011.
Houston Astros – Seems like the ‘Stros are going to send Roy Oswalt to the Phillies for J.A. Happ and 2 other prospects. That is a sign of more moves to come for a team in transition. I think they could be moving more guys – possibly Hunter Pence, Lance Berkman and/or Carlos Lee – by Saturday’s deadline. Possible Players: they’ve acquired Happ (if the aforementioned trade goes through) but that might be all their getting this year in terms of current big leaguers. I’m willing to bet the rest of their trades result in acquiring prospects from the minors for next year.
Pittsburgh Pirates – First off, I don’t know why they’re in the NL Central, Pennsylvania is on the east coast; but that’s an argument for another time. Pittsburgh has done a better job keeping its talent and building upon that each year. I don’t suspect many moves for them, other than trying to move Jones. It should be a relatively quiet deadline for the Bucs. Possible Players: whatever they can get for a middle-of-the-road player like Jones.
NL East – This division race isn’t as close as it has been in past years; however, that could change after this year’s trade deadline. With the Braves starting to falter atop the division, and the resurgence of the Phillies, Mets and Marlins in the second half, the only team that seems to be out of the pennant race is the Nationals.
Atlanta Braves – It’s no secret that the Braves are in dire need of another big bat in the outfield. Rookie sensation, Jason Heyward, has returned from the disable list on a tear, and their trade for SS Alex Gonzalez was a move in the right direction. They’re still going to need someone with a little speed to play some center field for them, because Nate McLouth has been a huge disappointment in ’10. Possible Players: OF – David DeJesus – Kansas City Royals, OF Michael Bourn or Hunter Pence – Houston Astros, OF Garrett Jones – Pittsburgh Pirates (although he’s more of a corner outfielder).
Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies are in talks right now for starting pitching; specifically Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros. Right now, Brad Lidge is a big concern for the Phils as he continues to get himself back to where he was two years ago – when the Phillies won the World Series. If the Phils can get back their key bat, Chase Utley, and continue to pitch as well as they have, they’ll be in good enough shape to make a run at the Braves without making a major splash this weekend. Possible Players: SP Roy Oswalt – Houston Astros, DeJesus, Jones, SP Ted Lilly – Chicago Cubs.
New York Mets – The Mets are a tough group to size-up. Currently, they’re still in the race for the NL East, so I’m going to assume that they’re trying to add to their roster. They need some hitting in the middle of their lineup, because they are ranked 20th or below in every major offensive category. Free agent signee, Jason Bay, has been a total disappointment thus far. If the Mets are sellers this weekend, look for them to deal guys like Carlos Beltran, Alex Cora or Pedro Feliciano. Beltran has a big contract and doesn’t seem likely to move, but Angel Pagan has played very well in his absence. I believe the Mets wouldn’t mind trying to get some value for the injury-prone outfielder. Possible Players: depends on whether they’re sellers or buyers but two guys that could really help their chances are 2B Kelly Johnson – Arizona Diamondbacks, or OF Corey Hart – Milwaukee Brewers (although the asking price might be too high for these guys).
Florida Marlins РThe Marlins are looking like sellers this deadline; even though they are playing well and could possibly be one or two key players away from the postseason. I am looking for the Marlins to try and get a maximum return for players like Dan Uggla and reliever Leo Nu̱ez. They could also end up dealing lower level fill-ins like Jorge Cantu and Cody Ross to teams that need a short-term fix in a key spot. Possible Players: prospects from the Yankees, Red Sox, and/or any other team that is looking to trade with them at the deadline.
Washington Nationals – The Nats have a lot of young talent in their infield – Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond – and especially in pitching – Strasburg and Drew Storen. They will likely be trying to add to their wealth of young talent at the deadline with teams asking for Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham. They could also end up dealing reliever Matt Capps, who is having a career year and would likely bring the Nationals at least one very good prospect. Possible Players: prospects from the Yankees, Giants, Braves, Rays, or Tigers.
With the July 31st trade deadline just a few days away, I figured I would break down each division and the needs of its teams. Starting with the AL East and and ending in the NL West.
AL East – This is probably the strongest division in baseball – with the exception of the Orioles – and also one of the most amorphous. The Red Sox and Yankees are changing every year and you’d be hard pressed to find one year where all of the teams stayed static at the deadline.
New York Yankees – As always, the Yankees are likely to be big spenders at the deadline. I’m not familiar with a lot of their prospects that will likely be dealt; however, I do know that they need an extra bat. Granderson has been disappointing in his first season in pinstripes and they could also use a bat in the DH spot so that Posada can assume his regular catching duties. Possible Players: 1B/DH/OF Adam Dunn - Washington Nationals, OF - David DeJesus - Kansas City Royals, 3B/1B/DH Mike Lowell - Boston Red Sox (yea right, like we'd help them).
Tampa Bay Rays – Maddon and his club are not known for doing major deals at the deadline; but, as the Sox get healthy, the Rays are going to need a power, left-handed bat in the middle of the order to secure the Wild Card spot. I’m not sure how much longer they can survive with a .200 hitter – Carlos Peña – hitting cleanup. Possible Players: Dunn, Lowell, 1B/DH Prince Fielder - Milwaukee Brewers.
Boston Red Sox – How’s this for a deal at the deadline, an all-star and former MVP/Rookie of the Year at second base, a .300 lead-off hitter who stole 70 bases last year and a strong young 23-year-old reliever. By late August the Sox should be getting Pedroia and Ellsbury back from injury. Also, it’d a much better move for Theo Epstein to retain his young talent and call up young right-hander Michael Bowden to replace the ineffective, Hideki Okajima. I don’t foresee any big deals for the Sox this year. Possible Players: RHP Leo Nunez - Florida Marlins, LHP Scott Downs - Toronto Blue Jays, DeJesus.
Toronto Blue Jays – If their GM is smart, he’ll know that there’s no possible way that Bautista repeats his ridiculous numbers next year in Toronto. They already made a huge splash landing a much younger Yunel Escobar and some prospects for Alex Gonzalez; if he could pull off a deal for more young talent – preferably starting pitching – then they’d be in a much better position to win next year. Possible Players: It's hard to tell, right now, what the market is for Bautista; but, his last 2-HR game puts him at 30 for the year so they should get something good.
Baltimore Orioles – Sorry @kylegrantham, but you guys just need a solid hiding spot or something. It’s hard to establish team needs on the field, when you don’t know who’s going to be managing the team next season. Hire Buch Showalter, then we’ll talk trades. Possible Players: I hear they're holding tryouts (not really, but they should...go for it Kyle)
For today’s athlete, it took a little more research and imagination to find the right fit; however, I feel very good about this one. I think all of my SJI fam will find this one quite amusing as well – especially my man Cheng.
Today’s Athlete: Dontrelle Willis, starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Ever wonder what Lil' Wayne would look like if he played baseball? Me neither; but, if you are that curious, look no further than Dontrelle Willis of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
There’s a huge height difference between the two, and I don’t think Weezy could throw a 90+ MPH fastball, but that doesn’t change the fact that they could be long lost brothers. Just focus on their faces, how can you ignore that (the two have the same damn facial hair for Christ sake)? Willis even pitches with that same swagger that Wayne has when he "plays" the guitar. It's like they don't care what the result is; they just want to have fun.
Think of it this way, what athlete hasn’t, at one point in time, wanted to pursue a career in rap (yes, I’m talking to you Shaq). Then you factor in every rapper/hip-hop artist that wishes they were good enough to be a pro athlete, and it begins to make perfect sense that these two look exactly alike.
The one place that has been different has been their success. Willis’ career peaked in 2005 with a 22-10 record and a sub 3.00 ERA; however, that was just the beginning for Weezy, who had been rapping since his early adolescence. But the younger sibling – Willis is 28 and Weezy is 27 – almost always enjoys the most success; at least, that’s how it works in movies.
I would also like to focus your attention to the fact that Lil’ Wayne was featured on the theme song to Hard Ball – a movie about an inner city baseball team – which came out in 2001; a year after Willis was drafted by the Florida Marlins. A coincidence? I think not.
Willis and Weezy each had a tough up bringing; both men growing up in the projects of their respective cities – Willis grew up in Oakland and Lil’ Wayne is from New Orleans. The similarities are staggering.
Honestly, at this point, I think it would be a good career move for Willis to seek out his long lost brother, Weezy, and try and join Young Money (he could take Lil’ Chuckie’s spot…not a fan, at all). Also, would it really surprise anyone if Lil’ Wayne decided to try out for a major league ball club? I know I wouldn’t be shocked; dude has re-invented himself more times than Diddy and always seems to come out on top. Who knows, he might even be good at it.
I don't know if Willis is an alien, like Weezy, but have you seen his wind up? Doesn't look all that "earthly" to me. I'm just saying...
By Aaron Hilton Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401
Two World Series Championships, six NL Pennants, and 579 wins – and counting – are the combined achievements of managers Lou Piniella and Bobby Cox. At the culmination of their 2010 season, each of these legendary managers will begin their journey into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
I don’t like the term “calling it quits” for them; it does no justice for the sparkling careers of two teachers that will, more than likely, end in Cooperstown. I call them teachers because that’s what the great ones do; albeit, in different ways, but the influence remains the same.
Piniella, a former major league left fielder, took over the Steinbrenner Era Yankees and led them to a 90-win, 2nd place finish in just his first year. However, as is the case with most of Steinbrenner’s managers, ‘Sweet Lou’ only lasted about 2 ½ seasons as the Yankees manager before taking over for the Cincinnati Reds.
Piniella took over the reigns from Pete Rose – a Hall of Famer in his own right – and took a 75-win team to a World Series sweep the very next year against the Oakland A’s.
Sweet Lou – who earned the name for his sweet swing and, later, kept the moniker as an ironic reminder of his fiery demeanor – went on to coach for the Mariners, Devil Rays and is now with the Cubs. Each of these teams improved their win totals by a combined 54 games – the Cubs went from worst in their division, with 66 wins, to the first round of the playoffs with 85 wins. Piniella’s Yankees were the only team not to improve under his management – the Yankees went from 97 wins to 90 in Piniella’s first season as manager.
Have you heard of a young gentleman by the name, Alex Rodriguez? He was Piniella’s first round choice in his first year as manager for the Mariners. It’s also no surprise that ‘The Kid’ – Ken Griffey, Jr. – became ‘the man’ that same year, improving from 27 homers to 45 in ’93 – the start of a Griffey’s best 7-year stretch, which made him an icon.
Other players Lou drafted include: Red Sox captain, Jason Varitek, lefty, Matt Thornton, Rays starters Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis, Delmon Young, and the hot hitting rookie, Reid Brignac.
Lou is probably best known, today, for his outrageous rants and no-nonsense managing philosophy; but what many don’t realize is that his antics stem from his great passion for the game. His track record alone speaks for itself, having coached for some of the best franchises in baseball and giving other ones – namely the Mariners and Rays – an identity.
Lou was never a fan of showboating or fanfare; he played the game to win, and that is something baseball fans should never forget.
“Just go out there and play,” said Piniella. “And play hard, have fun, win a ballgame; be humble about it, and go out and try to do it the next day again, instead of having that bravado.
“All of a sudden you've got to back up bravado. You don't have to back up humility.”
As for Cox, it’s much of the same. He took over a team in turmoil – the Braves had three different managers in 1977 – and brought them a consistency that fans hadn’t seen in years. After the Major League Baseball strike in 1981 – this stemmed from owners’ disputes over free agency compensation – Cox left the Braves to coach the Blue Jays from ’82-85.
His brief stint north of the border culminated in true Bobby Cox fashion and turned out to be the first of his, now four, manager of the year awards – it was also, coincidentally, his first ever first place finish.
After a 5-year layoff, Cox retained his managerial position with the Braves, taking over for the highly unsuccessful Russ Nixon. That very next year, Cox picked up where he left off with the Blue Jays, winning the NL East and taking his first Major League Pennant. This would become a theme of Bobby Cox’s Braves as he went on to win the division every year until 2005, with the exception of a 2nd place finish back in ’94.
In that span, he won 5 pennants and his only World Series trophy. He also got to coach one of the best three-headed rotations in baseball history in John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddox.
I’m not sure if he was responsible for drafting Chipper Jones in 1990, but the rest of his draftees aren’t too shabby either. He’s responsible for drafting: World Series closer and current Cardinals Ace, Adam Wainwright, All-Star MVP Brian McCann, middle infielders Yunel Escobar and Kelly Johnson as well as top-of-the-line prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Oh, and I believe you’ve already heard of Jason Heyward, I hear he’s pretty good.
His patience with these young players is a big part of why so many of them go on to have successful careers in the big leagues.
“You got to have some patience with them,” Cox said about bringing up young players. “(There’s) no sense in bringing them up here, playing four or five games, sending them right back out.
“If they're good enough to put on this uniform, to me, they're good enough to play.”
Cox wasn’t the same fiery, outspoken manager that Piniella was - although, he had is moments - but he was heard where it matters most, in the locker room. Players like Chipper Jones, Heyward, and McCann have been, and likely will be, mainstays in the Braves lineup long after he hangs up the cleats. All of these players, each at a different stage in their careers, are, no doubt, better players and people because they got a chance to play for one of the greatest managers in the game.
Only time will tell when baseball will have two more polarizing figures in baseball; and, God forbid, they both leave the game at the same time. Managers like Ozzie Guillen, Tito Francona, Joe Torre, Joe Maddon and Charlie Manuel are the next in a line of great managers; however, none of them, alone, will be able to fill the void left by Sweet Lou Piniella and Robert Joseph Cox.
By Aaron Hilton Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401 or @AaronVHilton
Today, the most successful team in baseball history, the New York Yankees, mourn one of their own.
After suffering a heart attack, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died 6:30 a.m. this morning in Tampa, Florida just 9 days after he celebrated his 80th birthday.
Whether you are a Yankee fan or a Mets fan, a New Yorker, or from New Jersey, the death of Steinbrenner is unexpected and sad, and on this day we pay tribute to him.
R.I.P. George Steinbrenner July 4, 1930 - July 13, 2010
In the past this feat wouldn’t have seemed possible. Even with the magical display put on by Josh Hamilton in the ’08 derby with his 28 homers couldn’t out do Dwight Howard’s gravity defying Superman Slam. But with this past year’s slam dunk disappointment the State Farm Home Run Derby has a chance to shine above the myriad of NBA all-star festivities.
For those who sat and watched this year’s dunk competition, I can only hope that wasn’t the highlight of your night. The 2010 dunk competition had to be the worst all-star festivity since, well, ever.
This year, the MLB has a chance to do something I never thought I’d see, top the dunk competition with the Home Run Derby. Who thought hitting a baseball would outweigh an acrobatic slam dunk?
It was just terrible, Shannon Brown, my dark horse, was supposed to use his NBA leading vertical leaps to wow the audience and steal the show. However he flaked out on me with a rather pedestrian performance in the first round; doing dunks that made Chris Anderson’s 2005 dunk performance not seem nearly as bad.
My friend, Malik, and I had a good laugh about it a few days later. We suggested that the league should have held open tryouts for the public, or maybe just switch to a layup competition starring Steve Nash.
One thing that does bother me about this year’s Home Run Derby is the fact that Nick Swisher is one of the participants. I love Swish, even though he’s a Yankee, he’s a fun guy and his personality is great for baseball; however, the dude has only had one season where he hit over 30 homers and isn’t really known to be a home run hitter.
The voters got it wrong on numerous occasions with this one because, according to an article I read over the weekend, the MLB didn’t even invite the HR king of the first half of the season, Jose Bautista. The dude hits a MLB leading 24 dingers in the first 88 games and yet doesn’t get voted to the all-star team, nor does he get invited to the home run derby. One question: how can the MLB’s HR leader not be in the home run derby? That just doesn’t make sense, and then you add the fact that Nick Swisher was the last AL invitee with nearly half the HR production (15).
Maybe Swish will hit 20 in the first round and go on to win the whole thing, but I seriously doubt it. Either way it goes, this year’s Home Run Derby should be an astronomical improvement on the sham that was the 2010 Dunk Competition. By Aaron Hilton follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401
This year, without a doubt has been the year of the lefty. You can look at the resurgence of David Ortiz to All-Star status, the emergence of Brennan Boesch as well as monster seasons being put together by Justin Morneau, Robbie Cano, and Josh Hamilton; and that’s just AL hitters.
The hitters in the NL have been led by Joey Votto who has finally made an all-star team and is leading the overachieving Reds to a possible first place finish in the NL Central. Then you look at other breakouts like Martin Prado and Angel Pagan (who is a switch hitter who’s absolutely raking from the left side of the plate), as well as stellar first halfs by Andre Ethier and Adam Dunn.
AL pitchers Jon Lester, Cliff Lee, and David Price have utterly dominated their competition and you can’t forget about C.C. and Andy Petite. Then there’s lefty relievers like Scott Downs, Matt Thornton and Phil Coke who are putting together all-star caliber seasons. In the NL you have the resurgence of Barry Zito, the consistency of Johan Santana and the agelessness of Jaime Moyer to go along with the youthful future aces like Jaime Garcia and Clayton Kershaw. In the bullpen you have guys like Hong-Chih Kuo and Arthur Rhodes who provide a smooth transition to closers like Billy Wagner.
This could be a year in which we see left handers sweep the post season awards. Here’s how I would vote if my opinion mattered (shot out to Marc Spears, Greg Lee, David Squires, and Leon Carter):
AL MVP: Josh Hamilton – this guy has been through hell and back, was set back in a major way with injuries and a drop in production last year and has re-found his mojo in one of the great storylines of the 2010 season. (Note: this award would’ve gone to Robinson Cano; however, as a Red Sox fan, I just couldn’t bring myself to give it to a Yankee. It was hard enough to give him his due credit).
NL MVP: Joey Votto – these are his numbers: .314/.422/.589 with 22 HR (tied for NL lead) and 59 runs; now look at everybody’s favorite pick, Albert Pujols: .308/.416/.576 with 64 RBI 21 HR and 55 runs. Votto leads the 3-time MVP in every major slugging category with the exception of RBI (Votto has 60).
AL Cy Young: Jon Lester – if David Price leads his team to winning the East, then this award goes to him; however, if you look at the Red Sox pitching staff the past three years (including ’10), the one constant has been Lester who has had an ERA below 4.00 and at least 15 wins since ’08. In a year where the Red Sox have dropped like flies, Lester has kept Boston afloat and in the playoff hunt.
NL Cy Young: Jaime Garcia – honestly, my real pick is Josh Johnson of the Marlins but, for the sake of argument (The Year of the Lefty) I’m taking Garcia. He’s leading all NL southpaws in ERA, and he’s only had one game in which he’s allowed more than 3 earned runs. On any other team, he’d be a 1 or 2, but he pitches for the Cardinals who already have Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.
AL Rookie of the Year: Brennan Boesch – if Boesch doesn’t win this award then it will be a total crime. He leads all rookies in batting average, home runs, RBI, OBP and slugging percentage; if that doesn’t make you rookie of the year, then I don’t know what does.
NL Rookie of the Year: Jamie Garcia – this is where I think he truly fits. He probably won’t win the Cy Young, and he shouldn’t; however, Garcia has surprised everyone with his dominance of the NL this season. He burst onto the scene out of nowhere – much like Boesch – and has displayed great composure to accompany his filthy breaking ball. He’s a shoe in for the award so far, in my eyes; sorry Jason Heyward.
Some other lefties having a great year: Nick Swisher, Brett Gardner, John Danks, Jason Vargas, Carl Crawford, Carlos Gonzalez, Clayton Richard, C.J. Wilson, Gio Gonzalez, Dallas Braden, David DeJesus, James Loney, Aubrey Huff, Will Ohman, Pedro Fliciano, Ryan Sweeny, Shin-Soo Choo, Colby Rasmus, and Kelly Johnson.
By Aaron Hilton follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401
Just over two months ago, when the season started, the Sox were projected to be a borderline playoff team that was defined by pitching and defense. Yet, today, as it stands their offense is the best in the bigs.
They lead the majors in runs, doubles, total bases RBI, slugging percentage and OPS. The Bean-town Bombers are also in the top three in hits, home runs, on-base percentage and batting average.
Meanwhile, their pitching and defense has been less-than impressive. They are in the bottom third of the majors in ERA and they are right at the AL average for errors committed as a team as well as team fielding percentage.
Somehow this change has worked for the better, the off-season acquisitions of Lackey, Beltre, Scutaro and Cameron are starting to pay dividends as the Sox have invested most of their stock in the team infirmary.
If injured players were an MLB statistic, the Sox would be all-world. Everyone and their grandmother has been hurt or injured at some point this season and the culmination of all this was this past weekend in San Francisco, when three of the Sox’ top players went down with an injury.
First it was their hottest hitter, Pedroia, who just had the best game of his career, hitting3 home runs while going 5-5 against Colorado the previous night. Then it was new-found ace Clay Buchholz who injured himself deciding whether or not to break up a double play. I guess that’s what happens when AL pitchers get a hit nowadays—a few years ago Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang messed up his knee running the bases in Houston; it ruined his career. And last, but not least, Victor Martinez became the latest victim for the Sox, fracturing his thumb on multiple foul tips by Giants hitters. This is the second time, the Sox’ backstop has been injured by foul tips this season--Last time he took one off his foot in Tampa Bay. Maybe he should back up a bit or something.In case you weren’t counting—and I’m sure you weren’t—that’s three Sox down in three days and 66.7% of them went down on foul tips. Vegas couldn’t even top those odds. But, somehow, the little engines that could are proving all logic wrong and continuing to persevere. Maybe we should’ve sent them to South Africa instead of Team USA.
All jokes aside, if you look up and down the Sox lineup, the changes are glaring and it would seem that the numbers are somewhat backwards. This is what the Sox’ lineup/rotation looked like on opening day:
LF – Jacoby Ellsbury 2B – Dustin Pedroia C – Victor Martinez 1B – Kevin Youkilis DH – David Ortiz 3B – Adrian Beltre RF – J.D. Drew CF – Mike Cameron SS– Marco Scutaro 1. Josh Beckett 2. Jon Lester 3. John Lackey 4. Tim Wakefield 5. Clay Buchholz
Today’s that lineup and rotation have gone through some major re-arrangements. It’s almost like the before and after shots on a Zantrex 3 commercial, but in reverse:
SS – Marco Scutaro LF – Daniel Nava DH – David Ortiz 1B– Kevin Youkilis RF – J.D. Drew 3B – Adrian Beltre C – Jason Varitek 2B – Bill Hall CF – Mike Cameron/Darnell McDonald 1. Clay Buchholz 2. Jon Lester 3. John Lackey 4. Daisuke Matsuzaka 5. Tim Wakefield
Somehow, the Sox have been able to make this work, they’ve lost their pre-season, projected ace, Josh Beckett. They have also lost key role players and starters like: Ellsbury, Hermida, Lowell, and even Cameron, who can’t play everyday because of a sports hernia.
As the trade deadline fast approaches, it’s easy to think that the Sox will go out and sell the farm to keep this going. But, if it wasn’t for the farm system, they wouldn’t have been able to turn such a glaring negative into a positive in the first place.
Right now, the best thing for Sox fans is to stick to filling up FenwayPark and let Theo Epstein do what he’s always done, find a way to field a winning team. Isn’t it ironic how the only spot where the Sox haven’t suffered a major injury—middle relief—is the only real weakness that they’ve shown heading into the deadline?
The fact of the matter is, the Sox are fine. They have about a week or so until the all-star break and soon afterward, the every day guys will return to form. Ellsbury should return before the postseason and by mid-August the Sox should have back Martinez, Beckett, Pedroia, Cameron (full-time), and Hermida.
It’s now just a matter of continuing to think positive and squeeze all the talent they possibly can out of overachievers like Nava and McDonald.
By season’s end, the Sox should be dealing with the best problem a team could possibly have: having too much talent on one team.
Tim Lincecum – This guy has dominated the NL since his second season, winning back-to-back NL Cy Young Awards—2008-’09. Standing at just 5’11 and 170 lbs, Lincecum is one of the biggest rock stars in the bigs. His long, flowing hair and slight frame only add to the wonderment of his unreal ability to dominate opposing hitters; some of whom are upwards of 6’4 and 230+ lbs. He even throws like a rock star, a herky-jerky delivery that he somehow repeats over and over for an entire, 32-34 start season. He’s like the Mick Jagger or Stephen Tyler of baseball.
Ichiro Suzuki – Ichiro is one of the most likeable players in the majors and has been trapped on a less-than-spectacular team—the Seattle Mariners—for his entire career. He was a star for Orix in Japan before coming to the MLB in ’01—a year in which he nearly swept every award winning AL Rookie of the Year, a Gold Glove, and the AL MVP. His 262 hits in ’04 set a Major League record for hits in a season and that year he led the big leagues with a .372 AVG. Not showing any signs of slowing up, Suzuki is and has been one of the best players in baseball history.
Dustin Pedroia – All his life, Pedroia has dealt with doubters and nay-sayers who questioned him every step of the way to the big leagues. His rookie year, Pedroia got off to a slow start, hitting just .182 in April; however, he never hit below .299 in any month for the rest of the season and was named AL MVP. In just his first two years with the Sox, the second baseman has won a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, Rookie of the Year, and an AL MVP award all to go along with a World Series ring. Even though he is slight of stature, it’s hard not to notice the ‘little guy’ with a big bat and even bigger swing.
Prince Fielder – The Fresh Prince, as I like to call him, is an absolute monster at the plate. The big guy batted .288 with a mammoth 50 homers in just his second year in the big leagues. He might just be the only guy in the majors, other than Gary Sheffield, that swings harder than Pedroia. His stature alone—5’11 268 lbs—is enough to give pitchers nightmares; however, his Winnie the Pooh type demeanor has made him a lovable giant. I mean, the guy is a vegetarian who weighs more than nearly every other big slugger in the majors and can hit the ball around the rings in Saturn.
Chone Figgins – I always pronounce his name wrong—it’s pronounced SHAWN—but he has got to be one of my favorite non-Red Sox players in the MLB. He can play every position on the field, shit, he can probably even pitch with that gun he has on his right arm. And he’s probably one of the fastest dudes on the infield in the majors; he has turned his career as a utility man into a big contract as an every day second baseman for the Mariners. He might not be living up to his numbers out there in Seattle, but, honestly, who is? After Cliff Lee, that team is doomed, you have reports of Griffey catching a snooze in the clubhouse, and they will probably trade Cliff Lee who is in just his first year as a Mariner. I give him a pass this year, in light of all that he’s done before then; this guy is definitely a gamer and deserves to be on this list.
* Honorable mentions – Dan Uggla, Brian Roberts, Miguel Tejada, Adrian Beltre, Brandon Inge, Russel Martin, Rickie Weeks, Nick Punto, Brett Gardner, and Shane Victorino.
I don’t know whether it’s the violent swing, chubby face, creepy demeanor that made me notice; but, whatever the reason, Uribe bears a striking resemblance to one of my favorite rappers: Jadakiss.
his bat. Let me just say, that this dude has the most violent swing of all-time (sorry Gary Sheffield, but his is just stupid). I’ve never seen somebody work that hard for an opposite field single in my life (and I used to play baseball…ish).
elt about Uribe when I walked into the Giants clubhouse after the game.
the bat, drops it, raises his arms, and swags out of the batters box, all in one fluid motion (all his missing is the “Aheeeeeeh!” and you’d swear Jadakiss played baseball).
