Off to Chicago

I'm heading up to Chicago this weekend for two of my cousins who are graduating (one from high school and one from grade school). I don't know if I'll be able to post anything or comment on any other blogs, but we'll see.

Jorge Campillo Is the Man!

Do you ever want to see if a pitcher can succeed without a 95 mph heater? Well, then watch the Braves' Jorge Campillo. Every year, Bobby Cox seems to find a player that plays over his head and helps the team. Jorge Campillo is the man this season. He made his debut a few years ago with the Mariners but didn't make it out of the first inning as a result of needing Tommy John. Now at age 29, he's back and better than ever. With an 85 mph fastball, amazing curveball, and a very good curveball, Campillo has reeled off three straight good starts. The only thing in his way are blisters. Yet, Chipper even called his change-up the "invis-a-ball" because of its movement. In his three starts, he's pitched 15 innings (blisters held him back from more), 9 hits, 16 K, 0 BB, and 1 ER (1!). Amazing. I love seeing guys like this pitch. I hate seeing guys who throw really hard but can't command it. Guys like Campillo aren't around much because of the institution of the radar gun. Sometimes I feel as though scouts use radar guns so much that they forget to find guys that can actually pitch. I hope he is not just a flash in the pan, and I especially hope that those blisters go away. Unfortunately, I think he'll have to be the 4th Braves' starter to the DL if he actually wants to heal those fingers.

Get Over It (Orlando Cabrera Edition)

During a game a few days ago, Orlando Cabrera phoned the official scorer to complain about unfair scoring when he was charged two errors. The errors were overturned. Yet, Cabrera still has a problem but this time with Ozzie Guillen, his manager, because Cabrera feels Guillen is not supporting him enough. Guillen states that he thinks Cabrera called for selfish reasons. Honestly, I have to agree with Guillen here. Why do you need to worry about your stats? He's not getting to the All-Star Game anyway. His bat took care of that. Most of the time, I agree with Ozzie Guillen, and even though he says more than he should, I see it as a breath of fresh air in a sport where most people tiptoe around the situation (ie. Omar Minaya and the Mets organization). Guillen admits that he doesn't support his player in this instance, but Cabrera makes it seem as though Guillen never supports him, which I doubt very seriously. Cabrera, just get over it. Play your game and let the official scorer do his job.

Prince Albert Officially Attempts to End Love for McGwire in St. Louis

Albert Pujols knocked out a light on the "Big Mac" sign over the McDonald's in St. Louis last night during batting practice. As the picture shows above, he took out the "A". He'll need about 5 more days to officially end the Mark McGwire love fest in St. Louis.

It's Always Greener ...

So after the Royals have started playing like well ... the Royals, Jose Guillen is finally being well ... Jose Guillen. He was a clubhouse nuisance in Cincinatti and Washington, but magically, he was fine in Seattle. Hmmm, let's look at the difference. Cincinatti and Washington suck, and Seattle somehow played well last season. This offseason, Guillen could have stayed in Seattle, but chose more money to go to K.C. Now, he wouldn't be any happier in Seattle, but he may have made more of a difference there. Anyway, after last night's abysmal performance by the Royals, Guillen called out his teammates and called them "babies". Now, who's the baby? He's the one griping and sulking that they're not winning. He's the one unnecessarily calling out his teammates to the media when he should be talking face-to-face to them if he believes they aren't playing hard enough. Why do players consider it a good thing to talk to the media when they blow things out of proportion, misquote to fit their needs, and spread everything you say in order to get the best headline. Dumb.

Awww

Cubs personnel have taken it upon themselves to help Alfonso Soriano. They have instituted a no booing rule to the left field bleachers. Now, is it just me or is booing a part of the game. In the article, it mentions they are cracking down especially on profanity and racial slurs. If there is something racial being said, then I'm glad they are cracking down. If all it is is profanity, then good luck. Stopping profanity is like the Shadow Boxers trying to stop bullets with Kung-Fu.

And, the NL All-Stars Are ...

C Geovanny Soto (with Brian McCann 120,000 behind)
1B Lance Berkman (with Albert Pujols 12,000 behind)
2B Chase Utley (with Kazuo Matsui 350,000 behind)
3B Chipper Jones (with David Wright 100,000 behind)
SS Hanley Ramirez (with Miguel Tejada 10,000 behind)
OF Alfonso Soriano
OF Kosuke Fukudome
OF Ken Griffey Jr. (with Carlos Beltran 50,000 behind)

Well, this seems better until you get to the outfielders. I'm not going to disagree with too many of these choices, but here are mine anyway:

C Brian McCann (has a better BA by 20 points than Soto, but Bengie's not far behind)
1B Lance Berkman (sorry Albert, but he's been better in everything)
2B Chase Utley (Any questions?)
3B Chipper Jones (Any questions?)
SS Miguel Tejada (with Rafael Furcal not far behind)
OF Ryan Ludwick
OF Carlos Lee
OF Nate McClouth (close with Nady for the last spot, and Braun isn't too far off)

Fukudome has been good, just not All-Star good. Soriano and Griffey shouldn't even be in the discussion yet. With Soto and McCann, it is really close, but McCann just has a much better batting average. Actually, Bengie Molina should have more support than his brother. The outfielders I have picked are the best according to the Triple Crown categories, and without a strong base stealer, these are the best choices although none of them have any publicity.

Carlos Quentin Not on AL All-Star Ballot

Update: I looked at the ballot and Jerry Owens is on the ballot instead. Oops. I guess the White Sox thought Owens would be more a part of their team this season.
When I looked at the All-Star Ballot to make my picks, I forgot Carlos Quentin. But how could that be? I looked at the ballot, the stats, and everything. The problem was that he is not on the ballot. Weird. Anyway, everyone should vote for Quentin anyway, but you'll have to write him in.

And, the AL All-Stars Are ...

C Jason Varitek (with Ivan Rodriguez 52,000 behind)
1B Kevin Youkilis (with Justin Morneau 200,000 behind)
2B Dustin Pedroia (with Robinson Cano 160,000 behind)
3B Alex Rodriguez (with Mike Lowell 180,000 behind)
SS Derek Jeter (with Edgar Renteria 330,000 behind)
OF Manny Ramirez
OF Ichiro Suzuki
OF Vladimir Guerrero (with Magglio Ordoñez and Bobby Abreu 40,000 behind)
DH David Ortiz (with Hideki Matsui 300,000 behind)

It's not really an East Coast Bias, just more East Coast Domination. What did you expect? New York and Boston have a lot of people, dedication, and extreme passion, so of course, they'll vote with an entire month left. One thing I don't understand about All-Star voting is why do you drag it out for months. Just like the primaries for President, we need to do these in the matter of about a week or a day. Maybe a day would be too much for servers to handle, but voting early skews the votes. Those who vote early, vote for their favorite players, hence the above results. Not only do Boston and New York win almost all of these competitions, but the second-place players are the players on the other team who didn't win. Granted, Detroit, who sucks by the way, has a few people up there. Those who wait, vote for those who deserve to play in the game, so because all the New York and Boston fans have already used their 25 votes, then the rest of us can counteract their votes. Now, I have to admit some of these players actually deserve to be voted in. According to me, here should be the All-Star starters as of now:

C A.J. Pierzynski (most catchers suck right now, but Joe Mauer and Mike Napoli deserve some votes)
1B Justin Morneau (Youk is close but not quite)
2B Ian Kinsler (Pedroia is doing well, too, but Kinsler has 8 more RBI's and 9 more SB's)
3B Miguel Cabrera (Can he really get this? He has the best stats among 3B)
SS Derek Jeter (the rest aren't doing too well either)
OF Josh Hamilton (Any questions?)
OF Magglio Ordoñez (Quietly having another great year)
OF Milton Bradley (3 Texas Rangers? Manny deserves some votes as well. I need more BA before I vote Ichiro in)
DH David Ortiz (no other DH has his stats even after a slow start)

Jay Bruce Makes Impressive Debut

Update: Corey Patterson has been optioned to the minors. I guess the Corey Patterson Experiment is over.
Well, the Corey Patterson Experiment is not quite over, but a few more appearances like last night and Jay Bruce will firmly plant himself as the center fielder. I'm from Louisville, and I got to see him a couple times before he left for Cincy. It's kind of sad when you're the most physically developed player on the team of 25+ year olds. Bruce, by the way, just turned 21. JUST. Like on April 3. Anyway, he went 3-for-3, two RBI's, a stolen base and two walks. What else do you want? I guess a home run, but I'm just being picky. However, amongst all the love he's gotten, we all must remember that one game does not a career make (well, I guess for some it does). He could screw up considerably after last night. Yet, somehow I think he'll get the next Evan Longoria deal, but it will be after he plays tonight. I mean immediately after. Like, haven't gotten out of the shower immediately.

Who Cares?

I'm all for the feel-good stories, but this one is terrible. Mike Bacsik gave up the infamous 756 to Bonds and hasn't done anything since or before for that matter. ESPN ran the story about him looking for another chance as a headline story. This guy is a nobody who couldn't even stick with the Nationals.

Rays Are the Best in the Majors

Apparently, getting rid of "Devil" is all that team needed to do in order to win ballgames. Right now, the Rays lead the Majors with a 31-20 record with the D-Backs and Cubs a game behind at 30-21, and the Angels are a game back at 31-22. I wrote a blog a couple days ago where I commended Josh Byrnes and the D-Backs, so I figured I would do the same for Andrew Friedman and the Rays. This team has been perenially bashed and has never finished better than fifth (out of 5) in the AL East. In most pre-season predictions, experts had the Rays winning about 82-84 games this season, and although the season isn't even 1/3 over, things look great for the Rays. Like the D-Backs, the Rays sport a very young team and, even better, rotation. Here is the lineup (age in these):

Carl Crawford (26)
Akinori Iwamura (29)
Cliff Floyd (35- the old guy)
Carlos Peña (29)
Evan Longoria (22)
B.J. Upton (23)
Jonny Gomes (27)
Jason Bartlett (28)
Dioner Navarro (24)

Honestly, I think the D-Backs have the superior lineup, and they are a bit younger. However, not many teams have the comfort of having so many good, young, cheap players. Teams are starting to take notice of this theme of building within, and more emphasis is being placed on the draft. Yet, there are some problems with this. First, most players take at least 4 years to get through the minors, so any significant progress wouldn't happen for at least 4 years. Second, not every pick makes the playoffs, so even your first round pick is not a lock causing a couple more years to be added to your playoff countdown. Third, there is a lot to be said about picking up free-agents when they are out there. Free-agents have more experience and they are generally around their primes (although recent signings have begun to keep that from happening). Plus, they only cost money, not picks or other players in trades. So while rebuilding from within seems like a good idea based on the D-Backs and Rays, it can tak awhile just as these two teams have shown. Anyway, here is the starting rotation (note: that the Rays have a bunch of young pitchers in the minors who are considered to be very good):

Scott Kazmir (24- the Mets still cringe at the sound of his name)
James Shields (27)
Matt Garza (24)
Edwin Jackson (24)
Andy Sonnanstine (25)

In the minors:
Jeff Niemann (25- AAA)
Wade Davis (22- AA)
David Price (22- A, but he'll be moved quickly)
Jacob McGee (21- AA)

So, the Rays are pretty much stacked. They actually have a few more, but I figured I would end it with the 5 and 4-star prospects. This rotation is much younger than that of the D-Backs. Webb and Kazmir even out due to age and talent (I think Webb is better but older). Shields and Haren are about even (good pitchers, both 27). As of right now, the D-Backs have a stronger back of the rotation but not the depth of the Rays. In a couple of years though, the Rays may have the best and young pitching staff in the Majors. Just imagine in two years, the rotation could be Kazmir (26), Shields (29), Garza (26), Price (24), and Davis (24). Young, good, and cheap. Oh how I am envious.


P.S. I might do a team-by-team analysis of each team. I'm not sure yet, but I might.

Gabe Kapler Having Success After a Year Off

After leading his team to victory tonight, Gabe Kapler continues to be an inspirational story. IT's hard not to root for the guy. Before rupturing his Achilles tendon in 2005, Gabe Kapler was a rising minor leaguer in the Detroit Tigers organization. He was a number 1 prospect and Minor League Player of the Year. As a rookie in 1999, he hit 18 home runs in 400 at bats. He was traded the next season with Francisco Cordero to the Texas Rangers for, among others, Juan Gonzalez in a huge trade. He had a couple decent seasons until his power disappeared in 2002. He retired later in 2006 after a few years of good OBP but little else. Last season, he managed the Greenville Drive, the Class A team of the Boston Red Sox. Kapler decided to give it another try this season, and he got a contract with the Milwaukee. Looking at his stats now, he doesn't seem that impressive, but that's mainly because Mike Cameron came back from his suspension and Kapler lost playing time. So why do I care? Well, actually, does anyone remember some K-Swiss commercials from around 1997? He was part of a major campaign for their shoes because he was the Minor League Player of the Year. I don't wear K-Swiss (I'm not that cool), but for some reason, I was drawn to that commercial. I kept track of him since then. I promise I'm not stalking him, but I am glad to see that he's doing well again. Plus, his wife's pretty hot.

Oh Happy Days Are Here Again

I have to say that I love baseball right now. Basically, this is because the Yankees are in the AL East cellar and the Mets are in full meltdown mode. I don't really hate these teams because they spend the most money, although I may, may, make a comment now and then. Actually, I hate the Yankees because they beat the Braves in the World Series of 1996 and 1999, and I hate the Mets because of the pure divisional rivalry they hold with the Mets. In all honesty, if you have the money, then you might as well spend it, and I think it's crappy to hate a team because they spend $200 million dollars a season. You have every right to hate their signings, trades, and drafts. Go ahead, that's fair game, but I don't think you can hate the team in general. Make fun of Cashman and Minaya, both I believe are among the worst GMs in the game. Neither have done a good job with the advantages given them.

Randolph to Meet Owners on Monday

Update: Well, damn. It appears his job is safe for now.
So much for that vote of confidence.

Pirates Stepping Up As the Leaders of the Pack

Not in the standings. God no. Ha ha ha ha, eh hmm. Anyway, the Pirates owner came out and has sent a tape of Nate McLouth's at bat that ended up with a broken maple bat breaking and gashing the face of a coach. Honestly, I am really impressed by the move. I think something needs to be done about the maple bats. I doubt that they really help hit the ball, but the way they break is so dangerous. I don't know how many times I have seen a bat break like that and head towards Chipper as he tries to field the ball. The entire time you know Chipper's thinking "Where is that bat? It's not going to impale me is it?" Ash bats don't break, they splinter. They shatter into a million harmless pieces. Maybe they break more often, but at least they won't hurt anyone. This is a great way of self-policing the sport, and if all owners tell their players to not use wooden bats, then a rule doesn't have to be legislated.

Shapiro Looking For Offense

Mark Shapiro, the Indians GM, recently said that he will look into acquiring some players for his team. With his surplus of pitching, he will be able to deal for someone decent, but unless he decides to deal CC (won't happen), Fausto (now on DL), or Cliff Lee, he won't get the type of player to turn his team around. Honestly, no one really wants any of the Indians position players, but some of their pitching would be desirable. Anyway, I was wondering what it would take to make a trade with Atlanta. Here are some thoughts:

Cliff Lee for Kelly Johnson, Matt Diaz, Charlie Morton

Honestly, I doubt the Indians would deal Lee because Fausto is out and CC probably won't be back next season, but Shapiro might deal while Lee's value is extremely high. I mean Lee is good, but just not 1.50 ERA good. Kelly would fill the need for a second baseman who can provide offense. Diaz hasn't hit yet, but his track record says he will and the Indians need some BA. Morton is a good young pitcher that the Indians will certainly want in return.

Paul Byrd for Kelly Johnson

I wouldn't give up more than one good piece for Byrd, and I doubt I would really give up Johnson for him.

Aaron Laffey for Kelly Johnson

Laffey is probably too young to fill the innings eater, experienced type that the Braves would want, but he's been great so far. Again, I would fight to keep Johnson.

It's not that I don't like Kelly. I really do, but he's probably our biggest chip that we could give up. Infante has played well. Gotay has played well. Prado even played well before getting hurt. We have some depth at second base, so I expect that Johnson won't be around come August 1.

GM Says He and Owner Support Willie Randolph

Omar Minaya gives his vote of confidence. What a relief!

How Weird Is Baseball?

Here are some weird pitching stats that don't seem to add up. For all you stats geeks, tell me how this works.

Edwin Jackson: 2-3 but a 3.29 ERA
Felix Hernandez: 2-4 but a 3.34 ERA
Aaron Harang: 2-6 but a 3.50 ERA

A.J. Burnett: 5-4 with a 4.69 ERA and a terrible offense
Andy Sonnanstine: 6-2 but a 5.09 ERA

Brian Wilson: 14/16 in SVO but a 5.49 ERA

Gavin Floyd: 25 K and 27 BB but 4-2 with a 2.93 ERA
Fausto Carmona: 23 K and 38 BB but 4-1 with a 3.10 ERA

Zito Wins First Game of the Season

I wrote a blog yesterday where I congratulated Bartolo Colon on his first win of the season, but this is a little different. This time, getting the first win was a matter of getting everyone of his back for at least five days. It's kind of pitiful. Zito used to be a part of the "Big Three" in Oakland with Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson. Out of those three, only Tim Hudson is still doing well (good because he is the one in Atlanta). Zito will be one of the biggest busts in Major League history, but he can still turn things around (albeit marginally). He has to regain some command and the use of that big, loopy curveball. Pitchers have and will always succeed with mid-80's fastballs. The trick is that they don't pitch like they have mid-90's fastballs. Zito is of the latter. He still throws his fastball up. Maybe I should send him some tapes of Tom Glavine.

Leyland Upset at Having to Jog

I just read Buster Olney's blog for today, and I ran across the article on Jim Leyland being upset over some directive imposed by the MLB. So I checked it out, and the directive states that the umpire can stop a mound visit early if the coach is not "prompt". Well, Leyland was actually asked to jog to the mound. Now, I have to say, Leyland's response is pretty hilarious, but he brings up an interesting point. As a Braves fan, I doubt Cox could jog out to the mound without having a heart attack, and I certainly don't want to see that. Honestly, I have never seen him jog to the mound so far this season, so it's weird that they are mad at Leyland only (or at least he's the only one we know of). However, Leyland makes a remark about TV and the ads taking up time. So in a recap, baseball and Bud Selig want to see their 60 year old managers who have the utmost respect of the industry to jog to the mound to save time instead of having fewer ads by companies who have nothing to do with baseball or its success. Real bright idea, but as has been said, it's always about the money.

Doug Davis to Return Tonight

Update: Doug goes 7 giving up 5 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts in his start. When I said I would cheer for him, I didn't want him and his team to beat the living crap out of the Braves. Oh well, congrats Doug.
It's nights like this one that make me glad I have MLB.TV. Doug Davis returns to action tonight against the Atlanta Braves at 7:30 ET. He had thyroid cancer and pitched two games at the beginning of the season before his subsequent surgery and rehab and did quite well. Now, he has received assurance that he is cancer-free and can resume his major league career. In a way, his illness almost seemed inconsequential because he returned so fast and with so little fuss. It was almost like he strained a calf muscle (like Moises Alou did the other night ... again), but it was much more than that. Moments like that remind everyone that these players are subject to the same laws of nature that the rest of the human population is. They aren't special. I stand up and cheer for guys like this who face cancer head-on. It has to be scary to realize what happened to your body and what can then happen. Tonight, although I am a Braves fan, I will cheer for Mr. Davis. Welcome back.

Who's the Most Generous Baseball Player?

I was thinking about this the other day. How do you decide who's the most generous? Anyway, I figured out the perfect way: how many balls do the players throw up into the stands? No, not how many service hours they do because most teams mandate service to the community. Throwing balls into the stands is totally voluntary. Now, this takes more work if you want to include pre-game throws because some people throw them up during that time. Anyway, this counts all final outs, foul balls, scratched balls, balls thrown up just because you ask, and when Mike Sweeney and Frank Thomas fake throw up your first big-league hit balls. It takes a special someone to figure this out and keep track, but someone has to be anal enough, right? I just thought it would be interesting. Maybe I'll send it to Jayson Stark. He might be amused by this.

Angels Stadium to Get 2010 All-Star Game

Sucks for the people who want to catch home runs during the Home Run Derby. That rock fountain is right in the power alley. Do they let people out there?

Who Else Loves the D-Backs?

I have been watching the D-backs for the past couple years, and when I play baseball video games, I have been the D-backs, except this year because I couldn't justify creating myself and taking someone's spot. I admit that I'm a video game junkie, but that's a discussion for another time. Anyway, back to the genius that is the Arizona club.

It's easy to love a team when they start out hot, but I would like to mention that I called that they would win 100 games (bravesmith) this season. While winning 90 last season, there is no reason to believe they won't improve considering the ages of their core players. Below is there lineup and ages in parentheses:

Chris Young (24)
Stephen Drew (25)
Conor Jackson (26)
Eric Byrnes (32- the old guy)
Justin Upton (20!)
Mark Reynolds (24)
Orlando Hudson (30)
Chris Snyder (27)

Wow. That's all I can say. Most of these players haven't reached their primes yet, they are already the best team in the league. Here's the pitching staff:

Brandon Webb (29)
Dan Haren (27)
Randy Johnson (44- the really old guy)
Doug Davis (32)
Micah Owings (25)
Max Scherzer waiting in the wings (23)

Who wouldn't want that rotation? And that's not even mentioning the bullpen, spectacular by the way. I could keep gushing, but I'll stop. We all see how this team could very easily become the next Braves of the '90's to be the 'Backs of the '10's. I just want to give a shout-out to Josh Byrnes for his work. He and the D-Backs are the envy of the Majors and a reason the NL may be turning the tide between the AL and NL. I love giving young guys a try because I feel they give the same contributions that a 35 year old gives, albeit without the experience, but are on their way up not down. However, this also requires a great job in scouting and player development. The D-Backs are one of a kind. I know I haven't said much new tonight, and they did lose tonight by the way, but I felt like I should publicly commend Byrnes and the D-Backs (although they don't give a damn).

Fan Dies at Turner Field

During last night's Mets-Braves game, a fan fell 150 feet and died later at the hospital. AJC.com has more details. Honestly, I have no problem with drinking at games, but you have to start wondering if there should be better enforced limits. Granted, this is an isolated incident that doesn't happen every season, but it happening makes you wonder. Over the past few seasons, we have seen fans throwing beer bottles on fields, people falling from upper decks, and other rude behavior. Is it alcohol at fault or just bad behavior. I'm not ready to advocate the alcohol theory because sober people can be douchebags as well. Maybe it's the "mob mentality" where everyone has to act like an idiot because everyone else is. Maybe it's a combination of alcohol, the "mob mentality", and good, old-fashioned American idiocy. I'm not sure. Anyway, the next time you go to a park make sure to take care of yourself and your buddy. Getting drunk can be fun, but do it at your own house where you don't ruin everyone else's night. It makes me wonder if any kids saw it and the effects it will have on them.

Does Baseball Really Need Instant Replay?

Over the past week, we have seen several missed home run calls by umpires, most notably the one by Carlos Delgado against the Yankees this weekend and the one last night by Alex Rodriguez for the Yankees. In a Buster Olney blog, Olney declares that the time is now for instant replay. Rick Sutcliffe also stated that it is time for instant replay. But is it? How many people remember that Brian Jordan hit a similar shot a couple years ago for the Braves in a game against the Nationals? Didn't think so. His home run would have tied the game in a game in which the Braves lost, but no one remembers it today. Honestly, I want the umpires to get it right 100% of the time because I don't like to see people getting cheated. Yet, does it really matter that much? Even if A-Rod ends up one home run shy of Barry Bonds for the Major League home run record, we will still endlessly debate who is the better home run hitter, and there will be no clear answer. In five years, wait make that one year, wait make that six months, we won't care whether or not Delgado got jipped because all 162 games will be played and things will have evened themselves out. It is almost mathematically impossible for one team to be screwed 100% of the time. Part of the fun of baseball is not knowing how the umpire will make the call. Usually, things even themselves out by the end.

However, let's imagine starting instant replay just for home runs. In the first instance, the replay machine is a hit as the umpire makes the correct call and in less than 20 seconds. The instant replay in baseball would be much easier than in basketball and football because you don't have to worry about time, position, and where were his feet. The only questions are fair or foul, over or not. Simple really. But let's think a bit further. Where does it end? The next time a manager is going to want to know whether a ball hit down the line was fair or foul, whether or not his player beat the throw to first, or whether or not Matt Holliday really touched home plate. It won't end, and then, the Questec machines will take over calling balls and strikes. No human umpires will be necessary. Pretty soon, machines will be the ones playing baseball. Okay, so I'm getting a little exaggerated, but you get my point. Once you start, it may not stop.

It wouldn't be the same as the NFL. First, the NFL takes forever to make the right call. The rule states that it should take no more than 90 seconds, but how many times do we wait for five minutes? Second, NFL players are constantly moving in all directions and shielding referees. That doesn't happen in the MLB, so the umpires usually have better views on everything. The movement is predictable and usually all in one area. Third, how many times do calls not get reversed because the replays are shielded or ineffective? If the "slippery slope" occurs, then will all cameras see the necessary spot for the replay? There is more predictability, but there are still "too close to call" plays even with instant replay.

Instant replay is nice because it gives us the unbiased truth every time. It never fails. Yet, the camera man might and not get the best or right shot. All this would start because of something that no one would care about ten years down the road. Ask yourself, "How did people get along 50 years ago? They had to depend on the umpires to actually make the right call." Again, I want all the calls to be right just as much as anyone, but during a game, I find myself equally angry and relieved when an umpire makes the incorrect call. Ask yourself if the media would have made the same comments and cared as much if Jeff Fiorentino hit a home run and it was called back in a game between the A's and Royals. It happens. People make mistakes. And then again, if we had instant replay making the calls, then we couldn't blame the umpires for our team's crappy performance.

Mets in Meltdown Mode

I watched the Braves-Mets game on ESPN yesterday, and I was amazed at how bad the Mets looked. We have all heard the stories, Willie Randolph claiming race is holding him down and Billy Wagner calling out his teammates. After last night, I'll echo the comments of the announcers by saying that Wagner had every right to call out his teammates. They played terribly.

Pelfrey couldn't throw strikes, and when he did, it was a fastball down the middle. He had no command of any of his pitches. Then, the play in the right field corner where Endy chavez booted that ball which allowed Teixeira to get to third was abominable in every sense. He didn't need to rush because Teixeira was running. All he had to do was get in front of the ball. How hard is that? Then, Jose Reyes gave a half-hearted, at best, dive to get Matt Diaz's liner to short. He could have caught that ball. I counted at least 5 players who didn't run out groundouts. Sure, Jair had his stuff last night, but Teixeira proved how running balls out works when Castillo couldn't get rid of the ball from second. That play gave the Braves the opportunity for their big three run inning. Just terrible.

This team has all the talent in the world. A good lineup (I always felt Delgado and Beltran were overrated). A good starting rotation. A good bullpen. You don't need much else. Despite the announcers continually bashing Castillo for being broken down, he played fairly well and still has quite a bit of speed. The problem is that they have no leadership. Sutcliffe, while I love and admire the man, was wrong in saying that David Wright needs to be the leader of the team. It would be nice, but how many 35+ year olds do they have on that team that could be leaders. Wright, at age 25, is too young to take on that responsibility. However, Moises Alou, Carlos Delgado, Luis Castillo, Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana, and Brian Schneider could all be the team leaders and do it together. However, no one is stepping up, but someone needs to. They need to remind each other that even though they've played terribly, they are still .500 and have 110+ games left this season. Get your acts together.

Bartolo Colon Wins First Outing of the Year

Well, I guess Colon showed all his naysayers. He came out and fired 5 innings of two-run ball (not to mention several 94 mph fastballs). However, we have to remember that the season still has 110+ games left, and he needs to stay healthy. Yet, he made it back further and quicker than most expected. I cheer for guys like this to have successful comebacks because it adds a nice story to a game that can become over-scrutinized from a numbers and analysis point of view. It's nice to sit back and admire a guy coming back from injury. The only problem is that this is a luxury for a team that really doesn't need it. The Red Sox are already the best team in the majors (although not record-wise at the moment), and having another ace-type pitcher fall in their lap kind of makes me sick. I guess I have to remember that this makes it worse for the Yankees, so I'm for it. GO BARTOLO!

Happy 67th Birthday to Bobby Cox

To the best manager in baseball.

Dontrelle Willis to the Bullpen

Thank God! I really thought the Tigers would take Armando Galarraga out of the rotation which would have been more of a mistake than not remedying their bullpen this offseason. Coming into the season, I felt the Tigers would struggle (not this much) because of their bullpen. However, so far, their offense has been, well to be corny ... offensive, and their starting pitching has been as inconsistent as the stock market. Yet, Galarraga has been like oil, and his stock just keeps going up. As of right now, Galarraga sports a 3-1 record with a 3.06 ERA. He's been dependable. Maybe the Tigers should cut their losses and get rid of Nate Robertson instead. Robertson's been terrible not just this season (1-6, 6.08 ERA) but his entire career (43-60, 4.63) with the exception of his 2006 aberration (13-13, 3.84). Maybe terrible is a stretch as he's been durable and close to 200 innings the past few seasons, but he's not as good as people sometimes make him out to be.

Things to Watch for from the Braves

Update: Apparently, Smoltz is closer to coming back than I already thought, but did anyone else see his sidearm motion while throwing in the pen from the ESPN broadcast? His arm won't hold up much longer.

Update: Of course, just after I write this, Frenchy has to get three hits along with a HR. Maybe the night off really did help, but that probably means his problems were more mental than physical. He's not going to heal that foot with one game off especially because he hasn't really taken a "day" off yet.

1. Starting Pitching

What will they do? Currently, Tim Hudson, Tom Glavine, Jair Jurrjens, and Jo-Jo Reyes make up the rotation, but that rotation has some problems. Huddy will be fine, and he'll be our ace for the next few years. Glavine had a terrific start the other day, but I feel that will be the exception, not the rule. Jurrjens is becoming one of my favorite pitchers with his command and use of the fastball/change-up combination, which I still think is the most effective but I'm getting off topic, but I'm not sure if he's ready for the responsibility of a 2 or 3 starter just yet. Reyes has done surprisingly well, but we need some more outings to know for sure. What the Braves really need is a young ace pitcher with some experience. Glavine will be gone next year and I seriously doubt Smoltz will come back, so the Braves need a new No. 2. Here are some reasonable suggestions:

Kevin Millwood (not the best, but he's an innings-eater and getting away from Ameriquest can only be a good thing)

Greg Maddux (old but effective)

Aaron Harang (a stretch here, but I doubt the Reds would be able to refuse the kind of four-player deal we could possibly offer; remember, they're just prospects for a proven pitcher, but prospects are something the Reds desperately need)

Brian Bannister (if the Royals fall, look for a Wren-Moore move that has happened before)

Paul Byrd (again, not young but effective)

A.J. Burnett (if the Blue Jays fall, they might want to get rid of the man who will opt out of his contract; the Braves will have the money to keep him after Glavine, Smoltz, Hampton, and Teixeira come off the books)


2. The Bullpen

Mike Gonzalez, Rafael Soriano, and John Smoltz will be coming back (who knows when or in what order) soon ... hopefully. However, if they don't or can't or get injured, look for the Braves to make a move like the Dotel trade last season to get another back-end arm. I love Boyer and sometimes Acosta (when he's not WALKING people), but the Braves don't usually trust rookies late in the season. Here are some suggestions:

Julian Tavarez (great arm and the Red Sox don't want him)

Damaso Marte (will the Pirates ever be good again?)

Jeremy Affeldt (Harang-Affeldt monster deal?)

Heath Bell (let the Padres purging begin ...)

Brian Fuentes (there were rumors ... The Rockies suck ... salary dump)

3. Will Teixeira be Tex again?

This is a dumb question. He'll get things going soon, and then the Braves will really take off. However, you have to wonder if this will affect his salary next season. Oh wait, a 29 year old Gold Glove winning, switch-hitting, power hitting, first baseman with both New York teams needing and pleading for a first baseman next season will get $20+ million next season. But you also have to wonder whether Smoltz probably not coming back will give the Braves that much more money to work with next season and enough to keep Tex.

4. When will Blanco get the leadoff spot?

I love Escobar and everything he does (damn Ryan Church ... *mumbling curses*), but he's not the traditional lead-off guy. Blanco has a lot of speed, hits well, and is great defensively and may be better than Matt Diaz overall. For comparison, Blanco sports a .289/.417/.337 against Diaz's .259/.275/.328. Why is he still starting? If you put Blanco in the lineup regularly, then why not put him at the leadoff spot? He gets on base all the time and has speed to boot.

5. Will Frenchy ever get his power stroke back?

After that 2 HR, 7 RBI game earlier this season, I thought he was going to have it all season, but it's been non-existent since. Most like that he got the night off, but honestly, it was a band-aid move. He really needs a week off to heal, not one night. Hopefully, as the summer heats up, so will he, but him not hitting 30 HR makes it harder not to bring Tex back. Luckily, McCann is ...

6. on fire!

Last season's inconsistencies seem to be behind him. He's done a great job this season, and he's been extremely durable. He should be a sure lock for the All-Star game, and I'll vote for him all 25 times that I get. He'll be my favorite active player when Chipper decides to hang 'em up.