Posts belonging to Category Baseball Philosophy

On Thursday night, the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers surrendered a 5-run lead against the Philadelphia Phillies, giving up 3 runs in both the 8^th and 9^th innings and ultimately losing 10-9.  Although many of the Dodgers’ players lent a helping hand in making the late-inning collapse exceedingly memorable, the brunt of my focus is on Ronald Belisario’s mental error- a blunder so rare that it baffled every umpire on the field, as well as the manager of both teams.

With nobody out in the bottom of 8^th inning, Belisario opted to do a 3^rd-to-1^st pickoff move, hoping to catch an anxious Jayson Werth with too large a lead.  There was just one slight problem, there was no a runner on 3^rd base.  The only guy on base was Werth…and he was on 1^st.  That’s right, this means that Belisario made a move to an unoccupied base(3^rd) in an attempt to deceive Werth.  BALK.  However, this was no ordinary balk, it was arguably one of the most bone-headed and unthinkable balk in baseball history; it should have counted for a run, not just a single base.  If we refer to a players’ mental errors as “brain farts,” then Belisario’s gaffe should be recognized as “brain explosive-diarrhea.” Here’s why:

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I’ll be the first person to tell you, I’m really not that big of a baseball fan.  I do enjoy watching the game live and I appreciate the talent it takes to play, but I don’t necessarily follow the everyday happenings or even watch matchups regularly.  What I enjoy most about baseball is its unique place in sporting and American culture, the idiosyncrasies that make our national pastime inimitable.  Baseball has been played in America for almost a century and half and along the way has seen its share of characters, many whom have tried to explain their favorite game in a way everyday folk like me can appreciate.  Here are a few of those explanations:

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In the game of baseball it is common place to hear somebody talking about “playing the game the right way.”  The right way means a few things.  It means not taking a single pitch off.  It means conducting yourself like a professional.  It means that as a player, you are willing to sacrifice your body for the team’s success.  Today, on ESPN.com, I watched Buster Olney’s video blog and could not believe what I was hearing come from his mouth.

In talking about the Indians rookie phenom catcher, Carlos Santana, Olney began to question the value of catchers blocking home plate.  I get that he is talking about managing investments.  From a business stand point, it makes logical sense.  If this is the most important part of my organization, I need to protect my asset.  In a day and age where first year professionals are touted as the greatest thing since sliced bread, owners have become much more conservative in their approach to player development.  Just look at Stephen Strasburg.  Shoulder stiffness, straight to the 15 day DL for you.  Or look at the debate surrounding pitch counts.  Are they throwing too much?  Are they not throwing enough?

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At first glance, there wouldn’t appear to be many similarities between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. The Yankees regularly top the league’s payroll, shelling out $206 million in player salaries to lead the way once again in 2010. This year the Rays have climbed to number 21 on the list and their payroll is still barely a third of New York’s. The Yankees make a habit of throwing as much money at as many big names as possible, landing blockbuster free agents every offseason as opposed to developing their farm system. Tampa Bay, on the other hand, has been led this season by homegrown talents Evan Longoria (3b, drafted by Rays in 2006) and the AL’s All-Star Game starting pitcher, David Price (drafted by Rays in 2007). The Yankees also happen to be the most storied franchise in baseball, if not all sports, and have won a record 27 World Series titles. The Rays only became a Major League team in 1998 and lost in their only World Series appearance. Yet despite these seemingly overwhelming differences, at the All-Star break both teams share one important trait: winning games.

Continue Reading ‘Evan Longoria and the Rays Battle Baseball’s Evil Empire’

The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played at Chicago’s Comiskey Park in 1933; organized in conjunction with the city’s World’s Fair by Chicago Tribune sports editor Arch Ward. The American League won 4-2 behind the stellar play of Babe Ruth, who not only hit the first home run in an All-Star Game history but also robbed the NL’s chances of a comeback in the eighth inning by pulling back Chick Hafey’s otherwise certain yard ball from over the fence, a la a young Ken Griffey, Jr. The game was intended to be a one-off event, held alongside other historic displays of America’s industrial progress, such as Cadillac’s first V-16 limousine and incubators containing live babies. However, the showcase was such a smashing success that the MLB, ever-capitalizing on potential revenue, decided to make it an annual affair.

Today, the Midsummer Classic has grown to include such other cash-generating spectacles as the Sirius XM All-Star Futures Game, the Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game, Gatorade Workout Day and the State Farm Home Run Derby, among various other corporately branded proceedings. The five day celebration concludes with what is supposed to be the exhibition of baseball’s greatest current talents, the All-Star Game itself. The only problem is that Major League Baseball has tried to turn what was once a relaxed, fun-filled atmosphere for players and fans alike into a crucial must-win match-up by granting the winning league home-field advantage in the World Series. This dubious decision was made by Commissioner Bud Selig following his almost equally inexplicable judgment to end the 2002 All-Star Game in a tie following eleven innings of paired play.

Continue Reading “C’Mon Bud, Let’s Bring the Fun Back to the All-Star Game”