Posts belonging to Category Major League Baseball

This has been quite the week for Bryce Harper.  It started with him hitting a 480-foot, walk-off BOMB to dead center.  Then came the video of the phenom failing to run out a double play ball — failing isn’t even the right word; he basically came to a screeching stop.  And now, to culminate the eventful week, here is a video of Harper pulling his hamstring while going first to third on a single.

Considering that I live in St. Louis, I have the opportunity to watch every locally televised Cardinals game, which, as you will see, is both a good and bad thing.  While I admittedly find Al Hrabosky and Dan McLaughlin’s drunken diatribes to be occasionally entertaining (notice that I didn’t say enlightening), it’s the cheap, thoughtless commercials like the one below that make watching the broadcast worthwhile.

So, without further ado, here is quite possibly the most pathetic local commercial ever created, starring Cardinals skipper, Tony LaRussa.  Bite your lip, because it’s pretty rough.

A few thoughts and notes on this 15-second masterpiece:

– How does organizing a shoot like this happen? You can’t script something this brutal.

– Shame on the Cardinals for allowing this commercial to happen, let alone reach the air. Someone needs to lose their job, in addition to TLR, obviously.

– Wow…Martin Short’s career has really gone downhill. This is somehow even worse than Primetime with Jimmy Glick.

– I like how the re-enactment of a game-like situation is even complete with a TLR unenthused reaction.

– Shame on the person who talked Tony out of wearing the matching jean jacket.

– Who the hell would allow that weasely little guy in the dugout? Furthermore, could they have at least instructed him to eat an authentic ballpark food? Seriously, the guy’s eating

popcorn.

– Is this before or after TLR’s bout of casserole eye?

– I’d hope that the Vinson Mortgage Group client base has dwindled since this first aired.  But considering how many (dumb) people love Tony in St. Louis, he’s probably making bank.

– You’re only cheating yourself by pretending you haven’t watched it multiple times.

As we all already know, Bryce Harper possesses an insane amount of talent.  But over the months rumors have circulated regarding his perceived aloofness and poor makeup.  The 18-year-old phenom has been repeatedly criticized for his refusal to sign autographs; he blew a kiss at the opposing pitcher after taking him deep; and he’s nearly started several brawls.  In my opinion, however, the following video is the worst of them all. I could care less how big a prick he is towards the other team — in fact, I dig his competitiveness.  But for him to treat the game with such disrespect is wrong, and the fact that the Nationals organization doesn’t reprimand him is a joke.  Having said all that, he’s still easily the best prospect in baseball.

Top 2: Travis Hafner called out on strikes against Gavin Floyd

Top 4: Hafner grounded into double play against Floyd

Top 6: Hafner hit an RBI-single to center against Floyd

Top 8: Hafner homered to right against Chris Sale

Top 9: Hafner struck out swinging against Sergio Santos

Top 12: Hafner struck out swinging against Jesse Crain

Top 14: Hafner struck out swinging against Jason Frasor

Final Line: 2-for-7, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 4 K

Notes: Pronk’s golden sombrero on Tuesday night against the White Sox marks the first time a player has homered and fanned four times in a game this season.  Our favorite Vin Diesel look-alike wasn’t the only one to rack up the strikeouts, as White Sox pitchers fanned 19 in the 14-inning, 8-7 win.

Total 2011 Sombreros: 90

Gerrit Cole: This is a tougher call than one might expect, as Jameson Taillon is also a power righty in Pittsburgh’s system that arguably had the finest pitch of his draft class too.  Cole’s fastball is bigger and he is more polished than Taillon and probably closer to the Show.

Danny Hultzen: Hultzen is not really competing against anyone here and was the most polished guy in the ’11 class with excellent command and secondary stuff to go with a plus fastball from the left side.

Trevor Bauer: This is another tough one to call because he probably does not have the limitless projection that Archie Bradley possesses.  Nevertheless, he will arrive very quickly and will succeed from the second he shows up.  He has the unshakable poise that will allow him to immediately adapt to the Major League environment.

Dylan Bundy: Manny Machado is awesome and quite clearly the top infield prospect today, but Bundy would have been my first overall selection if I was Pittsburgh.  I personally believe that no other high school pitcher in history has been on the same level as Dylan Bundy.

Bubba Starling: Starling might take a little while to get there, but his tools are without rival in the Royals’ system and quite possibly the Minors today.  He needs time and patience from the organization because he is not remotely close to a finished product.  KC must remember that this is a good thing.

Francisco Lindor: The Tribe dismantled their system to get Ubaldo, so this is a no-brainer.  Nevertheless, Lindor has tremendous upside and tools.  I was not as high on him as many, but I think I am a little slow to accept the fact that the SS landscape is far from what it once was.  The way prospects are evaluated must adapt with the Major League landscape, and I personally have a difficult time assessing premium positions like SS.

George Springer: He has tools to drool over but lacks zone judgment and has his share of mechanical flaws.  I think he will take longer than other guys who were available, but this was far from the typical botched Houston pick.

Taylor Jungmann: Milwaukee made the smart pick here by going with the polished big-conference collegiate superstar.  Jungmann is already close and should arrive quickly.  After blowing the system up over the winter, this was the kind of draft they needed in Milwaukee as they collected two high profile collegiate aces in Jungmann and Jed Bradley.

Matt Barnes: Oh what it must be like to be the Red Sox during a draft like this.  With unlimited funds they were able to take 3 guys I had in the top 20 in Barnes, Blake Swihart, and Jackie Bradley Jr., and Henry Owens who I had immediately outside of it.  Their top guy prior to this week was Will Middlebrooks, and I just don’t see the same kind of upside in him that I do in Barnes.  Barnes certainly needs to improve his secondary stuff as well as command of all of his pitches, but he can work at 95 mph for 70 pitches and is very comfortable throwing in the cold New England air.  Oh, and I see him as a starter.  Duh.

Other teams that totally killed the draft were Washington and Tampa who have the Minor Leagues’ best hitting and pitching prospects respectively.  It should be noted that no one drafted this year would land in front of Bryce Harper or Matt Moore in any ranking of mine.