Sunday, February 12, 2012
The Captain
Have you ever wondered why Derek Jeter is so great? Here's a clue. He's already at spring training in Florida, well ahead of February 25th when position players are required to report. And he's been the first Yankee in camp his entire career. Mystery solved.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Crazy
The Rangers signed outfielder Nelson Cruz to a 2-year, 16-million dollar contract. For you mathematics wizards out there, that works out to 8-million per season.
Here is how crazy baseball salaries have become.
My first thought upon hearing the Cruz news? That's it?
Here is how crazy baseball salaries have become.
My first thought upon hearing the Cruz news? That's it?
Harden Hurting
If Rich Harden wasn't the victim of arm trouble throughout his career, we would be talking about him as one of the better pitchers this past decade. Even with many arm ailments he has more strikeouts to innings pitched and in his career (949 K's, 928 IP). He's also served up just 781 hits while compiling a 59-38 record with a 3.76 ERA. Imagine if he didn't have arm trouble.
Some guys are simply durable and some aren't. Harden falls into the latter category.
I could never understand why the Athletics, Cubs and Rangers didn't move him into the bullpen to limit his innings. Could Harden have stayed healthier as a reliever? I don't know but it might have been something that should have been explored. Maybe Harden was against such a move. I don't know.
But what is known is that to beat Harden, just get his pitch count up and get him out of the game in the fifth or sixth inning. He hasn't thrown a complete game in six years.
Right now that's all a moot point. Harden will undergo season ending surgery in his right shoulder. And the season hasn't even started yet. Good move though. He's been pitching with a bum shoulder for the past four years and he might as well get it taken care of now in hopes of resuming his career next year. He's only 30 years old. If all goes well he could have several more good years left. Hopefully that's the case.
Some guys are simply durable and some aren't. Harden falls into the latter category.
I could never understand why the Athletics, Cubs and Rangers didn't move him into the bullpen to limit his innings. Could Harden have stayed healthier as a reliever? I don't know but it might have been something that should have been explored. Maybe Harden was against such a move. I don't know.
But what is known is that to beat Harden, just get his pitch count up and get him out of the game in the fifth or sixth inning. He hasn't thrown a complete game in six years.
Right now that's all a moot point. Harden will undergo season ending surgery in his right shoulder. And the season hasn't even started yet. Good move though. He's been pitching with a bum shoulder for the past four years and he might as well get it taken care of now in hopes of resuming his career next year. He's only 30 years old. If all goes well he could have several more good years left. Hopefully that's the case.
Isagenix
I started a new nutrition program today called Isagenix. The plan for me is too be healthier, stronger and faster for old guy's baseball. The season starts in 7-weeks and I've been working out and getting back in shape. This Isagenix stuff is supposed to help me lose toxins, weight and make me stronger and more flexible. Sign me up.
Two guys, Peter Greenlaw and his son Drew, met me at the radio station the other day, to explain how this all works. The meeting lasted an hour and a half so I won't go into too many details here. But if it works for me, they want me to endorse it on the air. They also said if I follow the program it will work and I will be astounded at the results.
I'm anxious to see how it goes. I'm very optimistic and I'll post updates on my progress on this blog.
Two guys, Peter Greenlaw and his son Drew, met me at the radio station the other day, to explain how this all works. The meeting lasted an hour and a half so I won't go into too many details here. But if it works for me, they want me to endorse it on the air. They also said if I follow the program it will work and I will be astounded at the results.
I'm anxious to see how it goes. I'm very optimistic and I'll post updates on my progress on this blog.
Mustain
When I last thought much about Mitch Mustain was in late November of 2010. He was quarterbacking Southern Cal against Notre Dame. He was backing up the injured Matt Barkley and was at the end of his eligibility rope.
One of the most sought after quarterbacking recruits in the country, Mustain began his career, in 2006 at Arkansas. He led the Razorbacks to an 8-0 record in his starts as a freshman. However, because he had a trio of future NFL running backs, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis, the offense didn't revolve around the freshman QB. This apparently annoyed Mustain's mom and he eventually had a falling out with Arkansas Head Coach Houston Nutt and transferred to Southern Cal. I'm sure they had visions of Heisman Trophies and personal glory dancing in their heads. However, the Trojans had Mark Sanchez and then Barkley and Mustain rotted on the bench the rest of his career, except for the previously mentioned Notre Dame game, which he lost.
His pro football career went nowhere.
So why do I mention Mustain here?
The Chicago White Sox have signed the 23-year old to a minor league contract after he threw 90-mph in a tryout. He hasn't played baseball in eight years.
This is a no-lose situation for the White Sox. If he flames out, so what. They didn't lose much. If he increases his velocity, which is likely since his future workouts will be baseball specific, they might have a sleeper on his hands. And it isn't as if he was idle for eight years. He was playing college football. Or at least he was on a team.
For some reason I really hope it works out for Mustain and I think it very well could. He's got another shot and I hope he makes the best of it since football didn't pan out as was expected.
One of the most sought after quarterbacking recruits in the country, Mustain began his career, in 2006 at Arkansas. He led the Razorbacks to an 8-0 record in his starts as a freshman. However, because he had a trio of future NFL running backs, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis, the offense didn't revolve around the freshman QB. This apparently annoyed Mustain's mom and he eventually had a falling out with Arkansas Head Coach Houston Nutt and transferred to Southern Cal. I'm sure they had visions of Heisman Trophies and personal glory dancing in their heads. However, the Trojans had Mark Sanchez and then Barkley and Mustain rotted on the bench the rest of his career, except for the previously mentioned Notre Dame game, which he lost.
His pro football career went nowhere.
So why do I mention Mustain here?
The Chicago White Sox have signed the 23-year old to a minor league contract after he threw 90-mph in a tryout. He hasn't played baseball in eight years.
This is a no-lose situation for the White Sox. If he flames out, so what. They didn't lose much. If he increases his velocity, which is likely since his future workouts will be baseball specific, they might have a sleeper on his hands. And it isn't as if he was idle for eight years. He was playing college football. Or at least he was on a team.
For some reason I really hope it works out for Mustain and I think it very well could. He's got another shot and I hope he makes the best of it since football didn't pan out as was expected.
Fraud Can
Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd is peddling a new book in which he claims he used cocaine 2/3rds of the time he pitched for the Red Sox in the mid-80s.
Okay, he wasn't the only one using cocaine back then.
While it probably was a main reason for his career ending prematurely, he blames another reason. His race. In the book he says because he is black and outspoken he didn't get the empathy and sympathy that others who had cocaine issues did.
Nobody forced him to use cocaine. And while he was usually a pretty good quote, outspoken if you will, he was also, by many indications, a crappy teammate. When you tick people off all the time and you are unreliable, as soon as you can't pitch anymore then you will be shown the door. It happens in baseball and all walks of life.
John is a great salesman but he's a jerk. Well, he'll be employed until the day his sales slack off. Then he gets cut loose.
Oil Can can pitch even though he's a pain in the ass. Well, he can't pitch anymore? Goodbye Oil Can and don't let the door hit you on the way out. That's the way it works.
Also, by pitching all those games under the influence of cocaine, he ripped off everyone who bought a ticket to see him play.
I have no interest in reading a book on Oil Can Boyd.
Okay, he wasn't the only one using cocaine back then.
While it probably was a main reason for his career ending prematurely, he blames another reason. His race. In the book he says because he is black and outspoken he didn't get the empathy and sympathy that others who had cocaine issues did.
Nobody forced him to use cocaine. And while he was usually a pretty good quote, outspoken if you will, he was also, by many indications, a crappy teammate. When you tick people off all the time and you are unreliable, as soon as you can't pitch anymore then you will be shown the door. It happens in baseball and all walks of life.
John is a great salesman but he's a jerk. Well, he'll be employed until the day his sales slack off. Then he gets cut loose.
Oil Can can pitch even though he's a pain in the ass. Well, he can't pitch anymore? Goodbye Oil Can and don't let the door hit you on the way out. That's the way it works.
Also, by pitching all those games under the influence of cocaine, he ripped off everyone who bought a ticket to see him play.
I have no interest in reading a book on Oil Can Boyd.
Russell Branyan
When I saw the Yankees signed veteran third baseman/first baseman Russell Branyan to a minor league contract I thought two things.
Good. He's killed the Yankees in the past. Looking up his stats I saw that he's hit 8 home runs in the new Yankee Stadium in just 47 at-bats.
The second thing I thought of was Opening Day 2005. I was at Miller Park in Milwaukee for the Brewers home opener and Branyan hit not one but two of the longest home runs I've ever seen. Both were off Pirates righthander Kip Wells and both hit high off the centerfield video board. Had they not been impeded in flight it would have been more than 1,000 feet worth of homers.
Branyan has unreal power and although he's 36, he can't be as bad as he was last year when he hit just 5 homers with 14 RBI's with the Diamondbacks and Angels. Perhaps that was just a bad year. Maybe it was age catching up with him. But the previous two seasons, in 2009 and 2010 he belted 31 and 25 homers so I don't think he's lost it that quickly. We'll see but I think a pretty good pickup for the Yankees.
Good. He's killed the Yankees in the past. Looking up his stats I saw that he's hit 8 home runs in the new Yankee Stadium in just 47 at-bats.
The second thing I thought of was Opening Day 2005. I was at Miller Park in Milwaukee for the Brewers home opener and Branyan hit not one but two of the longest home runs I've ever seen. Both were off Pirates righthander Kip Wells and both hit high off the centerfield video board. Had they not been impeded in flight it would have been more than 1,000 feet worth of homers.
Branyan has unreal power and although he's 36, he can't be as bad as he was last year when he hit just 5 homers with 14 RBI's with the Diamondbacks and Angels. Perhaps that was just a bad year. Maybe it was age catching up with him. But the previous two seasons, in 2009 and 2010 he belted 31 and 25 homers so I don't think he's lost it that quickly. We'll see but I think a pretty good pickup for the Yankees.
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