O's GM & President Andy MacPhail Photo by Icon SMI

Less than two weeks ago, Baltimore Orioles president Andy MacPhail said that the team was in no hurry to hire a new manager because “it’s not like the barn is on fire right now. The players are doing a nice job for Juan [Samuel].”

Over the last two weeks, the Orioles have won just two of 13 games and suddenly there is again reasonable doubt as to whether the Orioles can muster enough victories over the final two months of the season to avoid eclipsing the modern record for baseball futility established when the New York Mets went 40-120 during their inaugural 1962 season.

So, my question to Mr. MacPhail is whether the barn is burning now?

The energy the team showed early in the tenure of interim manager Juan Samuel has disappeared.

Since staging a dramatic comeback on July 20^th to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 11-10 in 13 innings, the Birds have managed just one win in eight games and been outscored 52-20.

Despite some speculation that the hiring of former Yankees, Diamondbacks and Rangers manager Buck Showalter was inevitable, MacPhail doesn’t seem significantly closer to having a permanent manager than he did when firing Dave Trembley nearly two months ago.

As I have written several times before, in my opinion, every day MacPhail waits to hire a full-time manager is another wasted day.

If the Orioles’ manager for 2011 turns out to be Showalter or anyone else who is not currently working as a manager or coach, MacPhail will have wasted significant time that could have been used to evaluate players and set the tone for change that is desperately needed in Baltimore.

While the team president may not be alarmed by the current play of the Orioles, it is obvious that a growing number of Oriole fans are tired of the methodical indifference that seems to be exhibited by MacPhail.

In their recent 10-game home stand that included two weekends of baseball, the Orioles averaged 18,820 fans with only three of those 10 games drawing crowds in excess of 20,000.

For a team and city that has such a great baseball tradition, that is sad and simply not acceptable.

I certainly am not blaming Baltimore fans for voicing their displeasure with the current team by leaving plenty of empty seats at Camden Yards. Considering the current economy and exorbitant cost to attend a professional sporting event, the Orioles are probably lucky to be averaging that many fans.

Of course what has made it worse is that losing is unfortunately no longer a new thing in Baltimore. The 2010 season will mark the 13^th straight losing campaign for the Orioles. And barring a shocking late season turnaround, the Orioles will likely have the worst record during that stretch and have a very good chance of eclipsing the team record for losses in a season set in 1988 when the Orioles went 54-107.

Astute Oriole fans know that team began the season with 21 straight losses. However, that team actually had a better record after 100 games (32-68) than the current Orioles (31-69).

Following that season, the Orioles jettisoned a number of longtime veterans, including future Hall of Famer Eddie Murray, and in 1989 Baltimore surprised the baseball world by contending for the division title into September and finishing with an 87-75 record.

It would be great if the Orioles could repeat that kind of turnaround in 2011, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

In the first place, baseball has dramatically changed over the last 20 years. While every team was generally on a level playing field in those days, we all know that baseball today is setup so that the Red Sox and Yankees are pretty much guaranteed of being contenders every year.

The Orioles have the misfortune of not only being in the same division as both of those teams, but also with two solid teams with lots of young talent in the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays.

That means the Birds play a guaranteed 76 games every year against teams that have legitimate playoff aspirations.

That is a big reason that when Andy MacPhail took over as team president in 2007 he recognized that the answer for the Orioles was not a quick fix.

However, after three years of making moves designed to help the Orioles contend for the long haul, Baltimore is not only nowhere near contending, but they seem to be making steady steps backwards.

The victory total for the Orioles has declined every year since 2004 with no sign of team improvement in any area. In 2009, the Orioles won 64 games while scoring 4.57 runs per game and having a team ERA of 5.15. So far in 2010, the Orioles are scoring 3.61 runs per contest with a team ERA of 5.18.

MacPhail has staked the future of the Orioles on building a stable of young pitching arms designed to give the Birds enough talented pitchers to contend with the Yankees and Red Sox.

So far, that plan has been a complete disaster. The five members of the pitching staff who are 25 or younger have a combined record of 14-34 with a 5.72 ERA.

SP Kevin Millwood Photo by Icon SMI

MacPhail has tried to supplement the staff with inexpensive veterans, but that hasn’t been too successful either. In the last two years, Mark Hendrickson, Koji Uehara and Kevin Millwood have all been brought in with the expectation they would be inning eating starters.

Hendrickson and Uehara are now members of the Baltimore bullpen and Millwood has a 2-10 record with a 5.96 ERA this season.

Though not as prolific as a year ago, the Baltimore offense still has some solid components. However, if the Orioles ever want to become a contender, they must make major upgrades at the pitching position and cannot expect that fix to come from within the minor league system.

What MacPhail doesn’t seem to understand is that this is not the same Baltimore Orioles farm system that produced Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Storm Davis, Mike Flanagan, Dennis Martinez and Mike Boddicker. Even though the Orioles have been loading up on young arms, there is no guarantee that any of those pitchers will emerge as legitimate major league starters.

The game has also changed quite a bit since the Orioles were producing all those home-grown starters. Of the 11 primary starting pitchers for the Yankees and Red Sox in 2010, only four came up through the minor league system of either organization.

Top teams may have one or two starters who came up from within their organization, but they do not expect the entire staff to be homegrown talent. They supplement the home grown pitchers with top level starters from other teams. Not with aging veterans who are well past their prime.

I have applauded Andy MacPhail for trying to patiently build this team, but at some point he needs to become aggressive and signal to the Orioles, Baltimore fans and the baseball world that the Orioles are ready to win today.

It will take more than hiring a manager to signal that, but it would certainly be a good start. Then Baltimore needs to identify the top five available free agents for 2011 and make a legitimate attempt to add at least two of them to the roster.

Unless significant steps are made to jump start the franchise the cry of every season will be “wait until next year.” Then when “next year” finally arrives (if it ever does) it won’t matter because there will be no one left to care.

Related posts:

1. Does Anyone Want To Manage The Orioles?
2. Now Should Be The Time For the Orioles To Remove Trembley
3. Have the Baltimore Orioles Hit The Bottom?

NARRATED BY DUSTIN HOFFMAN

Photo taken from Google Images

New Documentary Features Major Sandy Koufax Interview;

Recollections from Ron Howard, Larry King, Bob Feller,

Bud Selig, Marvin Miller, Al Rosen, Hank Greenberg and Many More

Official Press Release

New York –  “Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story,” a major new documentary release from Clear Lake Historical Productions, is now being released into the market with screenings at film festivals worldwide, and as the title promises, documenting the impact of Jewish players on America’s national pastime, together with the impact of America’s national pastime on American Jews.

From the first – Lipman Pike – and on through Moe Berg, Hank Greenberg, Al Rosen, Sandy Koufax, Shawn Green and Kevin Youkilis, the film records the contributions of Jewish players and the recollections of Jewish fans, spanning the history of the game.  Major League Baseball has had top tier Jewish players, almost uninterrupted from its very beginnings, and through vintage newsreels, archival and new interviews,  the story is woven together in a 91-minute presentation narrated by Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman.

The film is directed by Peter Miller, and produced by Miller and Will Hechter.  Pulitzer Prize-winner Ira Berkow wrote the script.  Amy Linton edits.

A highlight of the film is a rare interview with the Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, who agreed to sit down with the producers to talk about his remarkable career.  Koufax discusses his experiences with missing a World Series game for a Jewish holiday, and of pitching a perfect game, one of his four no-hitters.  “I went out every day to pitch a perfect game”, he said.  “A first walk you are going to pitch a no-hitter, the first hit you are going to pitch a one-hitter.  Your goals are to be as good as you can be and you give up your goals very grudgingly and if you’ve given up nine hits, it’s going to be a nine-hitter, there’s not going to be a 10^th one.”

Director Ron Howard, a young Dodger fan when Koufax pitched, talks about rooting for Sandy as a youngster, and about his shock and embarrassment when he discovered that he was making more money as “Opie” on the Andy Griffith Show, than Koufax was pitching for the Dodgers.

The film includes recollections from Hank Greenberg (vintage) and his son Steve, Al Rosen, as well as from CNN’s Larry King, author Roger Kahn, Commissioner Bud Selig, Players Association’s Marvin Miller, former Montreal Expos owner Charles Bronfman, the Mets’ Fred Wilpon, players Yogi Berra, Bob Feller, Norm Sherry, Ron Blomberg, Shawn Green, Kevin Youkilis, and a delightful opening scene in which actor Dennis Leary, a guest in the Red Sox broadcast booth, discovers that Youkilis is Jewish.

Among the discoveries for audiences: the co-author of Take Me Out to the Ballgame was Jewish (and the song is performed over closing credits by jazz artist Sophie Milman); Washington’s Buddy Myer was a Jewish batting champion, and the New York Giants were frequented by Jewish talent (including Andy Cohen, Sid Gordon, Harry Danning and Phil Weintraub).

Moe Berg’s spy adventures, while undercover as a ballplayer, are revealed; the question of whether not pitching to Greenberg as he threatened to break Babe Ruth’s home run record involved anti-Semitism, and Al Rosen’s realization that sometimes you had to fight emerge.  Selig ponders out loud what his predecessors would have thought of a Jew becoming commissioner.

A coda to the production is the tale of Adam Greenberg, who, as a Chicago Cub in 2005, saw one pitch, and was hit in the head with it.  He continues his attempt to return to the majors: “You don’t have to be taught to never give up,” he says, which could apply to many in the film.

“Jews in Baseball: An American Love Story,” is distributed by 7^th Art Releasing.

About 7^th Art Releasing

Specializing in Jewish Films, 7^th Art has released numerous notable Jewish titles, including PHOGRAPHER, THE NAZI OFFICER’S WIFE, and the Academy Award-winning, THE LONG WAY HOME. 7th Art is an independent full service distributor, producer, sales agent, and specialized releasing and marketing company that continues to distribute unique, award-winning documentaries and fiction films since 1994. In the 15 years since its inception, the company has handled over 250 films and counting.  7th Art’s films have received many awards, including both Academy Award nominations and Oscars.

Press Contact:

Rachel Owen

Seventh Art Releasing

323-845-1455

rachel@7thart.com

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3. Baseball News, Tweets & More: Tuesday pm

Yogi Berra for A Glove of Their Own...from the original article

Every so often in the sports industry, do you encounter a genuine person who is trying to making a difference without a hidden agenda. Bob Salomon is one such individual. Over the past month, I have gotten to know Bob and truly what he is about. His book, “A Glove of Their Own” is truly a treasure as reflected in the below article by Diane M. Grassi that we recently featured in Premier Players Magazine. Enjoy!

A Glove of Their Own: A Grand Slam On and Off the Field by Diane M. Grassi

“The future ain’t what it used to be.” – Yogi Berra

The recession of 2008, long documented as the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, has impacted not only Wall Street and the American pocketbook, but the American psyche.

As such, there has been a symptomatic withdrawal not only by the American consumer, but by the American family and thus, by extension, the American neighborhood. And such has left many communities unengaged and in a state of bewilderment, with others steeped within the depths of despair.

It is in such times of crisis that the national fabric becomes torn and many feel displaced and disconnected. Yet, there remain some select individuals who take it upon themselves to offer hope, in helping to present a new paradigm for a collective morale boost, by uniting families with neighborhoods, and in helping to reconnect those neighborhoods with their respective communities; revisiting those values once identified as the essence of the American spirit.

And in that effort, a unique “movement” is evolving by way of a New Jersey father, most proud of his two children, and outwardly dedicated to reaching out to all children, in order that they too may continue to pass on the once held dear concept of “giving back”, as they become adults and raise children of their own. And Salomon and his wife do no less with their own two youngsters.

Bob Salomon is a name you will be hearing about. He is using the concept of children participating in sports as the vehicle to communicate his all encompassing goal of giving back. His first effort has evolved through the game of baseball. More specifically, the illustrated children’s book, A Glove of Their Own, published in November 2008, has caught fire and is the centerpiece of Salomon’s main vision.

The story is about a group of youngsters playing a pick-up game of baseball on a local neighborhood lot. Unfortunately, not all have bats and gloves to properly play the game. But a retired gentleman comes across them playing, only to return another day with a duffle bag filled with used gloves, bats and balls from games gone by, used by his own children. He then donates them all to the group of children. It but sets a good example for the children and serves to inspire them to keep on playing the game they love.

As a direct result of brainstorming with two friends, the eventual co-authors of A Glove of Their Own,

Debbie Moldovan, Keri Conkling and Lisa Funari-Willever, Salomon was presented a written story, and later beautifully illustrated by Lauren Lambiase .

But it was Salomon’s tenacity that convinced Funari-Willever, to see his project through, assuring her that she would not regret her involvement. Funari-Willever, herself, has dedicated much of her life to giving back and was the main force behind Salomon’s now realized proposition.

The end result of this collaborative effort was not just that of publishing a nice children’s story, but an extended benefit from it arose. It would serve as an example for children to be forthright, unselfish, giving and grateful. But equally important to Salomon, is that children are reminded to have fun while playing the game of baseball, and all sports, and to point out that just being a kid is okay, too.

Yet, it was only through A Glove of Their Own that Salomon realized his deep-felt obligation to become a facilitator of charitable efforts, not only by continuing to publish children’s sports stories, but by reaching out to a variety of organizations and media entities as well.

The intent is to pique the interest of professional athletes, professional sports franchises, sports-affiliated businesses, community invested corporations, and non-profit agencies, amongst others. And Salomon hopes to meld various partnerships to approach communities. These communities would then become their own facilitators with the intended goal of encouraging children’s participation in extra-curricular organized sports, funded by a combination of various entities and manifesting fundraisers nationwide.

However, the underlying theme, which Salomon insists must remain, is that professional athletes, both active and now retired, start making more of an investment in their local communities in which they play or in which they reside.

And it would behoove these professional athletes, and those now retired from professional play, to become involved on their own accord, rather than, for example, through a required clause in their playing contracts to perform volunteer work, which many Major League Baseball (MLB), National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Hockey League (NHL) professional teams now require as part of player negotiated deals.

Charity is but a gift and giving back should ultimately come from the heart. And Salomon truly believes that children will see through those athletes who are merely going through the motions, thereby not setting a good example for them. He wants to work with those who are dedicated in their intent to reach out to the children in the community, and simply because it is the right thing to do, rather than to garner accolades for themselves.

At such a time when discretionary income is dangerously low nationwide, it is imperative that municipalities, local communities, schools and neighborhoods alike, come together in innovative ways to mobilize future generations to continue to thrive; to return the favors bestowed upon them by enjoining the public with the private sector to a positive end.

Salomon has duly impressed many already in the private sector such as Rich Lampmann, Director of Promotions and Public Relations of Modell’s Sporting Goods. “The memories of the pick-up games in the yard or at the field, stick with us for a lifetime. Bob and his team have taken this a step further and are not only promoting the game…but also using the games as a means of spreading sportsmanship and teamwork for the greater good.”

And Rick Redman, Vice President of Corporate Communications for the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory notes, “It’s a wonderful story that everyone can learn from; kids and adults. Plus, it’s tied to many great causes and provides the chance to donate funds to your favorite baseball charity. How could we say no to Bob Salomon? He has a drive and passion that’s unmatched.”

There also are many retired athletes who have leant their support to A Glove of Their Own such as former MLB players Craig Biggio, Bernie Williams, Sean Casey, Jason Grilli, Tommy John, Roy White, Dick Drago, Phil Niekro, Bud Harrelson, current Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Joe Torre, former Yankee great Yogi Berra and the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center, and many others.

And Bob Salomon hopes to collaborate with active MLB players such as Joe Mauer, starting catcher for the Minnesota Twins, and Nick Swisher, the right fielder for the New York Yankees. Both players are dedicated philanthropists in their own right, making giving back through charity a priority in their lives off the field. And there are a bevy of many well intentioned athletes in the NFL, NBA and NHL who Salomon continually reaches out to in hopes of being afforded the opportunity to meet with them on future charitable endeavors.

Salomon is also involved in a collaborative effort with former MLB pitcher, Tommy John, as a producer of a film documentary. It will feature John’s life and center on the now worldwide famous Tommy John Surgery now considered the state-of-the-art corrective surgical procedure for injured elbows, based upon John’s own surgery decades ago. It not only saved John’s career but has extended the careers of countless other players, not only in MLB, but throughout professional and amateur sports.

Those wishing to learn more about A Glove of Their Own can visit its website, agloveoftheirown.com where one can learn more about all of its affiliated organizations, including corporations, broadcast media outlets, non-profit agencies and other athletes and celebrities touched by the spirit of giving.

And Salomon also wants to ensure that individuals can play a participatory role in whatever way they choose, in order to give back. It does not necessarily have to be on a grand scale or with relationship to an agency or corporate interest, either. Any small acts of kindness and involvement in neighborhoods and communities is the intent of Salomon’s purpose. Or folks may choose to go the route of purchasing copies of A Glove of Their Own and rallying others to participate in that way as well.

As such, books may be purchased through  AGloveOfTheirOwn.com. Glove donates $.10 from the sale of each book to the following organizations: Good Sports, Sports Gift, and Pitch In For Baseball. In addition, $3.00 per sold book will be given to any school or non-profit organization that joins Salomon’s effort.

His immediate next project is to publish a children’s book involving football as the theme, this time. But again, his effort is far more than a hyped up version of pay it forward, and rather a rallying cry to nurture our children. In doing so, we will all be better human beings for it will serve to enrich the quality of all of our lives, both locally and nationally, for decades to come. And that should be a priority for all of us.

“Success is not the place one arrives, but rather the spirit with which one undertakes and continues the journey.” – Alex Noble

Copyright ©2010 Diane M. Grassi All rights reserved.

Contact: dgrassi@cox.net

Please visit: www.AGloveOfTheirOwn.com

Related posts:

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2. An Intro to a Baseball Book: “Beating About the Bushes”
3. A Glove of Their Own: A Book Review

Image via Wikipedia

Below you will find an analysis of Tim Lincecum’s pitching mechanics as compared to other pitchers.

Some pitchers are current day pitchers as well as including how he compares with selected Hall of Fame pitchers like Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, etc.

Related posts:

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‘Go To Bat’ was launched nationally during the State Farm Home Run Derby.  ’Go To Bat’ gives entrants a chance to win tickets to the upcoming World Series and selected charity partners the chance to receive significant financial support.

Here’s how to play and how to help Pitch In For Baseball:

* Go to  www.statefarm.com/gotobat to register for your chance to win World Series tickets.
* As you register, you will get a chance to designate a charity that could win up to $25,000/week.
* To designate Pitch In For Baseball as your charity, select PUBLIC GOOD as the charity category and then choose Pitch In For Baseball from the drop down list.
* Revisit www.statefarm.com/gotobat each day and play the ‘Go To Bat’ online game to increase your chances for tickets and Pitch In For Baseball’s chance at financial support

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A-Rod Photo taken from Google Images

Last night A-Rod hit his 599th career HR in new Yankees Stadium & with a weekend series in the Bronx against the Royals it is very likely that # 600 will be launched in NY.

With that in mind, here are a few infographics from our friends over at TiqIQ.

This first one is a few days old now, but useful none-the-less.

And this one is still very relative for those looking to go to one of these games in the Bronx this weekend if they want a chance to catch # 600…

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Stephen Strasburg Photo by Icon SMI

With the All-Star Break in our rear-view, it becomes a perfect time to evaluate some pre-season predictions and projections…

Division Winners

AL (b)East – New York Yankees (1st, 58-33)

AL Central – Minnesota Twins (3rd, 49-43, 1.5 GB)

AL West – Texas Rangers (1st, 53-39)

NL East – Philadelphia Phillies (3rd, 48-43, 5.5 GB)

NL Central – Cincinnati Reds (2nd, 51-42, .5 GB)

NL West – Colorado Rockies (2nd, 50-41, 4 GB)

I didn’t document any Wild Card predictions aside from the fact that the AL Wild Card was coming out of the East.  Division predictions have nothing to do with the fantasy aspect of the sport, but they’re fun to look back on anyway.

While my predictions for the division winners look solid right now, the same can not quite be said for my award predictions…

MVP

American League - Alex Rodriguez; While his season has been okay, it is far from an MVP caliber season.  This thing looks like its going to Josh Hamilton, Robinson Cano or Miguel Cabrera.

National League – Troy Tulowitzki; Tulo was starting to heat up and playing short stop on a (potential) division winner is a great start when it comes to MVP votes.  His broken wrist has pretty much shut the door on an MVP trophy ending up in his hands in 2010.  Joey Votto, anybody?

Cy Young

American League – Justin Verlander; Thought he would kick off 2010 the way he ended 2009.  Despite missing time, Cliff Lee looks to be leading the pack with the usual suspects in the discussion.

National League – Yovani Gallardo; By no fault of his own, Gallardo will be on the outside looking in come Cy Young time.  His recent stint on the DL (oblique) doesn’t help, but he probably was not going to overtake Ubaldo Jimenez or Josh Johnson anyway.

Rookie of the Year

American League - Sean Rodriguez; How often do the pre-season “favorites” come away with the ROY hardware?  Not often.  I decided to look out of the box and it still looks like a miss for me.  A big second half could give Rodriguez a nice shot, but he’s got his work cut out for him if he’s going to beat out Brennan Boesch.

National League – “Why bother?”; That was literally my answer for my NL ROY prediction.  Stephen Strasburg and Jason Heyward will be neck and neck in the race for ROY honors.  Strasburg may have the more impressive stat line, but Heyward could earn points for playing a significant role in the success of a playoff team.

Award predictions are fun too and certainly have more significance for fantasy managers heading into a season.  Still, though, there is only a small pool of players each year considered in these predictions.  This is where the CWI or Craig Williams Index comes in.  Each year I like to pick out a handful of players and try my hand at projecting their stats for the upcoming season.  Historically (two seasons) the CWI projections tend to be on the aggressive side.  With that said, let’s evaluate….

B.J. Upton

CWI – .275/.360/.500 — 90-30-100-40

2010 - .231/.322/.391 — 52-7-32-25

Wow.  I’m embarrassed to have set my expectations so high for Upton.  I thought a shoulder that was fully healed and strengthened would combine with motivation (younger bro got paid in the offseason) to help him realize his potential.  I was wrong.

Scott Kazmir

CWI – 175 IP 181-58 K/BB 3.40 ERA 1.23 WHIP

2010 – 92.1 IP 60-49 K/BB 6.92 ERA 1.64 WHIP

Even worse than my Upton projection.  After his strong second half last season, it looked like he could get back on track while working with Mike Butcher – his former pitching coach in Tampa Bay.  It sucks being so wrong, but it feels good to liberate myself from my man love of Kazmir.

Francisco Liriano

CWI – 190 IP 211-63 K/BB 3.20 ERA 1.16 WHIP

2010 – 115 IP 125-32 K/BB 3.76 ERA 1.26 WHIP

Finally, here’s a projection that is looking solid.  The ERA and WHIP are a bit off thanks to a couple of starts against the Detroit Tigers that inflated an ERA that stood at 3.11 on June 23.  The WHIP could very easily be whittled down into the sub-1.20 range even if the ERA remains in the mid-high 3’s.

Ian Stewart

CWI – .260/.340/.480 — 75-30-90-10

2010 – .252/.344/.436 — 40-11-44-5

While I can’t be proud of this projection, it isn’t terrible – aside from the slugging and HR numbers.  It’s good to see his BA improve from .228 mark last season, but the lack of power takes away from his fantasy value.

Yovani Gallardo Photo by Icon SMI

Yovani Gallardo

CWI – 220 IP 232-73 K/BB 3.30 ERA 1.19 ERA

2010 – 111.2 IP 122-48 K/BB 2.58 ERA 1.26 ERA

So far, so good.  Projecting Gallardo to post good numbers is not exactly sticking your neck out though.

Stephen Drew

CWI – .280/.350/.480 — 100-20-80-15

2010 – .266/.341/.404 — 43-4-29-6

FAIL.  Next!

Ricky Nolasco

CWI – 218 IP 210-48 K/BB 3.15 ERA 1.15 WHIP

2010 – 116 IP 102-23 K/BB 4.66 ERA 1.30 WHIP

The strikeout and walk numbers aren’t terribly far off, but clearly I was not factoring in a .324 BABIP and 20 HR allowed before August when I projected those tidy ERA and WHIP numbers.

Brett Gardner

CWI – .280/.350/.385 — 85-4-50-50

2010 – .305/.398/.408 — 58-5-31-26

Barring injury, Gardner may make me look smart (or less dumb).  He’ll continue to score a ton of runs considering his on-base abilities and the lineup he plays in and he’ll continue to steal bases since speed is his meal ticket.

Daniel Bard

CWI – 75 IP 100-25 K/BB 2.80 ERA 1.13 WHIP

2010 – 45 IP 46-14 K/BB 1.80 ERA .84 WHIP

The future closer of the Red Sox has not racked up quite as many innings or punch outs as I projected, but after taking one look at the WHIP and ERA I’ll call it even.

Joey Votto

CWI – .310/.400/.540 — 100-32-100-5

2010 – .307/.415/.573 — 60-22-60-7

Again, Votto is another guy that doesn’t take a lot of guts to project a nice season from.  Regardless, it looks like he’s well in range of matching or surpassing each of the stats I projected from him and I will take that.

Considering I only posted these CWI projections on Twitter and facebook, chances are good that not too many people had access to them.  After seeing the projections, chances are better that they are thankful that they didn’t see most of them.  I clearly missed on several of the projections, but that brings up a good point.  You want to take calculated gambles throughout the draft – and even more so afterward.  Don’t go overpaying for a player’s potential when you can pay for another player’s production, but when its time, don’t be afraid to pull the trigger on some high upside selections.  Most of the misses that you accumulate during the draft can be rectified as the season moves along and it only takes two or three good hits throughout the draft to set your team apart from the pack.  Just something to keep in the back of your mind when next season rolls around.

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2. Top 5 Fantasy Surprises So Far in 2010: Pitchers
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While watching the recent MLB All-Star game, I started thinking about what the All-Star game is like in Japan. Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann and Chicago Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd performed late-inning heroics, propelling the National League to victory. Now that the MLB’s mid-summer classic “counts,” the win assures a National League team home field advantage during the World Series.

In Japan the team with the best record is already rewarded with home field advantage in the Japan Series, so pros play for fun in their All-Star Game. Make that games. That’s right, the All-Star Game is actually a two-game All-Star Series in Japan. This season the 60th All-Star Series will be held Saturday, July 23 at the Yahoo! Dome in Fukuoka and the following day at the Hard-Off Eco Stadium in Niigata.

Photo Credits: Yahoo! Dome in Fukuoka, Japan: Marc Hamaker

(In case you’re wondering – and I know you are – Hard-Off is a chain of used appliance stores. It’s part of a group of second-hand retailers, including Book-Off, which has a bookstore in midtown Manhattan.)

Photo Credit: Hard-Off Eco Stadium in Niigata, Japan: By nekoreds for Google Earth

There are a few similarities between the MLB and Japanese All-Star games. The managers of the two Japan Series Championship teams from the previous season serve as the skippers of their respective leagues. Therefore, Tatsunori Hara, manager of the Yomiuri Giants, the defending Japan Series champions, will manage the Central League All-Stars while the Pacific League responsibilities go to Nippon Ham Fighters manager Masataka Nashida. Like the MLB, each team has at least one representative, although it’s easier in Japan, which has only 12 total teams as opposed to MLB’s 30.

Each league has a 29-man roster of All-Stars, twenty-eight who are chosen through fan and player voting. This year, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the All-Star Series, each league added one player. One of those players is Craig Brazell, the hot-hitting first baseman for the Hanshin Tigers. Brazell received 20,688 Internet votes for the special final spot on the Central League roster.

Brazell, now in his third year in Japan, was a fifth round pick of the New York Mets in the 1998 MLB draft. The 30-year-old Montgomery, Alabama native made his major league debut on August 17, 2004. He played a total of 24 games for the Mets and five games for the Kansas City Royals before being released in November of 2007. After two mediocre seasons in Japan, Brazell is having a breakout season in 2010. He has 30 home runs, second in Nippon Professional Baseball to 2-time defending Central League MVP Alex Ramirez of the Yomiuri Giants.

Two of Brazell’s teammates, former Seattle Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima and former Colorado Rockies outfielder Matt Murton, are also on this year’s All-Star roster. Thirty-six-year-old Tadahito Iguchi, who played for three MLB teams, is an All-Star in Japan as the second baseman for the Chiba Lotte Marines. Perhaps one of them will have the timely hit or the outstanding defensive play to lead his league to a win. Maybe Yu Darvish, the phenomenal young right-handed pitcher for the Nippon Ham Fighters, or speedy Seibu Lions shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima will dazzle the crowd.

You probably won’t watch the Japanese All-Star Series this weekend, but there’s a slight chance one or more of this year’s NPB All-Stars could become MLB All-Stars in the future.

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AND

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Image of George Steinbrenner provided by Perry Barber

March, 1990: After twenty-eight years with the New York Mets, my friend and mentor Arthur Richman had recently matriculated to the Yankees‘ front office at his good pal George Steinbrenner’s insistence. One of the first things Arthur did upon assuming his vice-presidential duties was hire me to umpire some Yankees spring  training games in Fort Lauderdale. I met Mr. Steinbrenner on quite a few occasions: here’s a photo of him my husband at the time, Tom Vris, took while he was sitting next to him in the stands at a split-squad game I was working over on one of the practice fields at Legends Stadium in Tampa in 1996. And here’s a shot of me working the actual game, a Cincinnati Reds@Yankees affair featuring Jimmy Key, a high-priced rehab project coming off the disabled list, on the hill for the Bombers. The Yankees are obviously on offense in this picture, and I can’t positively identify the batter behind me who appears to be on his way up to the plate while eyeing me as if I were an alien, but it may be Ruben Rivera.

Umpire Perry Barber in Tampa, FL provided by Perry Barber

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