Here are some of the quotes from the knuckleballers from an article on NESN.com where these videos came from by Michael Hurley entitled, “Tim Wakefield Offers Pitching Advice to 18-Year-Old Female Knuckleballer Eri Yoshiba“.

“I was very impressed,” Wakefield said. “It’s an honor to have somebody to carry on a knuckleball tradition, and someone who’s doing it because she likes what I do. It’s pretty cool to have somebody come over to the states from Japan … for her to come all the way to Fort Myers and watch me throw, it was an honor for me to just talk to her and give her some tips.”

“She told me she was self-taught, and this was the first time she’s actually had any coaching throwing a knuckleball,” Wakefield said. “So I kind of know where she’s at because I was there. When I first started throwing, nobody knew what to do. it’s pretty cool that I’m able to give back to somebody that wants to carry on the tradition of throwing a knuckleball.”

“I never thought I could ever feel this happy,” Yoshida said through an interpreter.

“I think both in terms of pitching technique and also the mental aspects of the game, he taught me a lot in a lot of great detail,” she said.

Here’s a video clip from that article:

Here is a link to the article whereTim Wakefield talking about his meeting Eri…

Tim Wakefield ‘Very Impressed’ With Eri Yoshida’s Knuckleball (Video)

And here’s a link to the article whereEri Yoshida talking about his meeting her baseball idol…

Eri Yoshida Nearly Speechless After Meeting Idol Tim Wakefield (Video)

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1. A Monday in the Offseason: Dustin Pedrioa (video)
2. Jason Varitek’s Pre-Season Workout Video (2009-2010)
3. Not In A League Of Their Own Anymore

As some of you have noticed, we have joined the Amazon affiliate program some time ago. What you may not know is what’s available through Baseball Reflections.com so this post is here to tell you just that!

For starters, you can view and purchase from our aStores which is where you can find pages upon pages of books and movies on baseball (documentaries, biographies, etc.) as well as baseball gear and apparel. This aStores can be found above our logo on the right or at the links in this post.

Over on the right sidebar you will find a carousel of my top 10 picks of baseball books. Across the page from that on the left sidebar you will find a carousel of Alyssa Milano’s MLB Touch line of clothing. If you scroll down from there on the left you will find two more carousels. The first are my top 10 picks from the up and coming Akadema brand of gloves, bats and more followed by a list of some of my favorite baseball movies further down that left sidebar.

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The market for second baseman in the offseason is one of the few that have significantly more supply than demand. Last season, players like Orlando Hudson entered the offseason expecting a major pay raise, and didn’t get it because the economy caused several free agents to remain unsigned for most of the offseason.

Hudson is back on the free agent market, and though he had a strong season in Los Angeles, proving he can hit in both leagues, his declining defense and a strong second base market could leave him as the odd man out once again when it comes to cashing in on a long-term contract.

*Note: Players with options will be kept off the list unless their options are projected as unexercised. No arbitration-eligible players will be included unless they are projected as non-tender free agents. Ages represent age on June 30, 2010

1. Felipe Lopez, 30 years old

Lopez leads the pack of three pretty similar second basemen. Lopez, Placido Palanco and Orlando Hudson all batted around .300 last year, slugged around .400, and walked some. Each homered around 10 times last year, hit 30-something doubles, and hit a few triples. Lopez and Hudson are switch hitters, and Polanco has proven to be a productive American League hitter from the right side.

But Lopez is the top second baseman free agent for two very important reasons. He’s only a Type B free agent, and he’s younger than both Polanco and Hudson. Not every scout in the world loves Lopez’s defense, but his 5.6 UZR/150 in 2009 is impressive. Perhaps the most problematic blemish on Lopez’s resume is that since making his debut in 2002, he’s played for six different teams, and there could be a reason.

2. Placido Polanco, 34 years old

Is Polanco on the decline? Sure. He’ll be 34 years old next season, and decline is normal in a player’s mid-30s. But even at an advanced age, Polanco managed to put up a .285/.331/.396 line last season. Top it off with an 8.5 UZR/150 at second base, and Polanco’s decline is easier to swallow and tough to legitimize.

However, Polanco is a Type A free agent, in the middle of the Autumn of his career, and probably doesn’t want to play for a team that isn’t ready to contend in 2010. That means that the compensation surrendered for Polanco will likely be a first round pick, which increases the chances that Polanco returns to Detroit.

3. Orlando Hudson, 32 years old

Hudson’s began what will ultimately end up being a short tenure with the Dodgers on fire. He tore the cover off the ball in April (.337/.411/.537), and continued to a lesser extent in May (.328/.404/.414), and then fell off the face of the earth in June (.222/.269/.343). Hudson rebounded some in July and August, and then had a rough September, ultimately losing playing time to Ronnie Belliard.

Hudson is a Type A free agent again, and could have to camp in for another long offseason. Teams will question his ability to hit in the American League, where he spent the first part of his career and posted lesser numbers. And his once stellar defense has regressed to about average in terms of UZR.

4. Juan Uribe, 31 years old

The San Francisco Giants spent the majority of July in the rumor mill looking for a right handed hitter. They acquired Ryan Garko and Freddy Sanchez, but ultimately the most effective increase in performance was Uribe. Uribe hit .325/.374/.596 from September 1 on.

Uribe was originally a shortstop with the Chicago White Sox who had a lot of power potential. He never filled into that potential, but could be maturing into a similar player. Either way, Uribe has a pretty good glove at second base, much better than at shortstop or third base, where he’s also played.

5. Freddy Sanchez, 32 years old

Batting title? Check. Clean bill of health? No check. Legitimate power of any kind? No check. Perhaps the only reason Sanchez belongs on a list of top free agents any longer is that he’s actually a pretty decent fielder (5 UZR/150 for his career at second base).

Sanchez has ridden his 2006 batting title to it’s last stop, and is likely to have his $8 million option declined by the team that traded for him: the San Francisco Giants. He doesn’t walk much and after hitting 53 doubles in 2006, and 41 in 2007, he  Sanchez played only 25 games with the club and his lingering injuries should concern some teams going forward.

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Free Agent Outfielders
2. Hot Stove Baseball Free Agent Tracker: 3B
3. Hot Stove Baseball Free Agent Tracker: 1B

Please check out CNN’s Latinos in America Series to be aired on October 21 and October 22 at 9pm (EST). This clip is part of the interview with Phillies‘ LF Raul Ibanez as he sits down with Soledad O’Brien for CNN Latino in America. Please watch CNN on these days to watch his interview and more.

Phillies LF Raul Ibanez

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1. Who Really Created And Made Baseball “America’s Game”
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3. A Compilation of Baseball Reflection’s Interviews

The first choice of Reds fans would be the popular and powerful Gomes. A fun-loving type, Gomes won over Cincinnati baseball fans much as he had in Tampa Bay, and is regarded as a strong, positive force in the clubhouse. Gomes hit .267 and belted 20 HR in 291 AB during the 2009 season, posting the team’s second highest OPS+ behind only Joey Votto. The knocks on Gomes are a sluggish glove in the corner outfield spots, and a bat that performs better against lefty pitching than right-handers. Most of Gomes’ work in 2009 was against lefties. There is also the matter of cost. Gomes would be the most expensive of the LF options, requiring either a multi-year agreement, arbitration, or exposure to the free agent pool. After his solid season, Gomes figures to get a seven- figure deal. He has indicated he would accept arbitration if the Reds offer it, but wants to go where he can play full-time.

Balentien is a choice similar to Gomes, though he is four years younger and has a less impressive track record. Unfortunately, Reds manager Dusty Baker did not see fit to use Balentien regularly down the stretch to test his readiness, instead favoring lesser choices like Darnell McDonald and Laynce Nix. Balentien is a better fielder than Gomes, but has had struggles at bat even though he has shown excellent power potential. He has the highest ceiling of any candidate, but also carries the most risk.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The other two candidates and their availability also depends on how the center field job is awarded. If youngster Drew Stubbs is awarded CF on the basis of his solid audition at the end of 2009, then both are available for LF duty. If that is the case, Dickerson would be a strong candidate for LF, and to lead off. Dickerson kept pushing himself into more playing time last year, doing good things every time he was in the lineup. He also has good speed and excellent on-base skills, plays strong defense, and hits for some power. If Gomes is not retained, the most likely situation is a Dickerson/Balentien platoon, as Dickerson is the only left-handed hitting candidate for the job. In any case, Dickerson will get plenty of playing time in center and/or left, if he can stay healthy enough to remain in the lineup. This was his biggest problem last year.

The wild card in this situation is veteran Willy Taveras, signed for $4 million for 2010. Taveras was signed to fill the center field and leadoff roles, but played badly in 2009 and was also sidelined for a great deal of time, which allowed first Dickerson and then Stubbs openings to impress. Now, given
manager Dusty Baker’s love of veterans, Taveras might get a lot of center field play anyway, but a Juan Pierre-like move to left field with Stubbs in center is not out of the realm of possibility. This is the true unknown for 2010, what will be done with Taveras. Many Reds fans would just as soon he be tarred and feathered, but if the club cannot move him, he is likely to be on the roster, and if he is Baker will find ways to play him.

The first marker to look for is whether Gomes is offered arbitration. If he is, the other dominoes will fall. If he is not, then things will only have begun to get interesting.

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1. Do the Reds Have a Plan?
2. Ryan Hanigan: From Rollins College to the Cincinnati Reds
3. Reds at 50 (well, 48)

Especially in a poor free agent class, where there isn’t a true standout top free-agent, teams may hold their money in hopes of signing Joe Mauer, who seems to be destined to take over for Victor Martinez, who will likely supplant Jason Varitek this year in Boston.

But Mauer is a free agent after the 2010 season, and the Twins could look to move the switch-hitting catcher at some point before the season, or leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline. Look for the Yankees to attempt to unload their once-bare proverbial cupboard of farm talent in hopes of acquiring baseball’s top catcher.

*Note: Players with options will be kept off the list unless their options are projected as unexercised. No arbitration-eligible players will be included unless they are projected as non-tender free agents. Ages represent age on June 30, 2010

1. Miguel Olivo, 31 years old

Olivo was once a key piece in a trade that sent Freddy Garcia to the White Sox. He became a pariah in Seattle, as he and Jeremy Reed struggled at the big league level with the Mariners. Since leaving Seattle though, he’s begun to realize his potential.

A short stint with the Padres preceded two years in Florida, where Olivo re-established himself as a viable catcher prospect. He then transferred to the Royals—usually the final resting place for jettisoned Mariners. Olivo’s 2009 campaign boasted impressive numbers, including a .241 ISO and a .262/.334/.405 line for opposing hitters while Olivo was behind the plate, far better than the other two catchers the Royals fielded, and on a pitching staff that was pretty shaky apart from Zack Greinke.

2. Bengie Molina, 35 years old

The middle brother of the “Catching Molina brothers” becomes a free agent this offseason. Molina has transformed himself from a soft-hitting, defensive-minded backstop to a guy with some pop in his bat. Molina won two straight Gold Glove Awards in 2002 and 2003, when he played with the then-Anaheim Angels, but had only 19 homeruns and 42 doubles in the seasons combined.

In Molina’s last two seasons with the Giants have netted 36 home runs and 58 doubles. Molina would rank much higher, but he carries Type A status, something that caused several highly ranked free agents to remain unsigned for most of last year’s offseason. While Molina is a valuable catcher, his value as a free agent is extremely limited by the compensation that his signing team will have to surrender.

3. Yorvit Torrealba, 31 years old

Torrealba lost his role as the Rockies starting catcher to Chris Ianetta in 2008. The team has always struggled to maintain consistent starting pitching though, and what the team gained in Ianetta’s power and offensive potential, it would appear they lost on defense.

It would be simple to just blame Ianetta for the team’s 2008 struggles, and give credit to Torrealba for their 2007 success, but 2009 may have told a more accurate story. The team was 36-25 in games that Torrealba started, including 23 games after Sept. 1. Also, Rockies pitchers held batters to a .253/.327/.391 line with Torrealba behind the plate compared to .266/.330/.418 with Ianetta.

4. Rod Barajas, 34 years old

Rod Barajas is the only catcher I know of that has caught for Roy Halladay, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling and Jamie Moyer. Apart from his stint in Texas Barajas has caught a legend in every stop.

Barajas may not be the most intriguing offensive player, and has earned most of his money on the defensive side, but Barajas has hit 30 home runs and 42 doubles in the past two seasons.

5. Jason Kendall, 36 years old

Jason Kendall

Kendall is no longer the speedy, toolsy catcher that once threatened to revolutionize the position in the late 90’s. He’s probably not even the dimished, post-gruesome-ankle injury version of himself anymore. In fact, Kendall has turned into a pretty non-descript offensive player, boasting a .244/.329/.315 line in his last two seasons with Milwaukee.

The stats that jump out though, beyond Kendall’s average-to-above-average defense, are that he’s played 282 games in those two seasons, and posted 49 doubles and 92 walks. Kendall’s been a model of durability despite the one gruesome injury, playing 130 games in each season as a pro besides his injury shortened 1999 season, and 150 or more games in five seasons, including 2008.

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1. 2009 MLB Free Agent Update
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I hate it. I grew up with Edgar Martinez, perhaps the best designated hitter in the history of the position (is it really a position?) and I hate it. I think that it deserves mention in almost every major problem facing baseball (steroids and PEDs, bean ball incidents, American League imbalance, etc.), that stated, there are quite a few good hitters that will be on the market that are bad fielders, guys who should be relegated to the bench for defensive innings.

*Note: Players with options will be kept off the list unless their options are projected as unexercised. No arbitration-eligible players will be included unless they are projected as non-tender free agents. Ages represent age on June 30, 2010

1. Bobby Abreu, 36 years old

Abreu has been one of baseball’s unsung players for a long time. Even after cashing in on his combination of above-average power and speed and then being traded to the Yankees, he became just another soldier in the “Evil Empire,” his gigantic inherited contract and elite production hidden behind the on-and-off-the-field actions of higher profile Yankee stars.

From 2004-06 Abreu had three straight seasons with at least 30 steals and a .400 on-base-percentage. He was 30 years old at the beginning of that run, and in pinstripes at the end. But even at 35 years old, Abreu managed 30 steals and 94 walks in 2009 for a .293/.390/.435 line. However, Abreu has gone from an above average outfielder, to one that is pretty crappy.

2. Vladimir Guerrero, 34 years old

At one point Guerrero was perhaps the most complete player in baseball. In 2002 he was a homerun shy of being the fourth member of the 40-40 club, stealing 40 bases and hitting 39 home runs. In the same season, despite his free-swinging reputation (well deserved), he walked 84 times.

His legs have since begun to fail him, and injuries combined with age robbed him of his ability to be a viable option in the outfield. However, in a mostly-healthy 2008 season he hit .317/.384/.585 as a designated hitter in 44 games at the position. In 2009 he managed a .291/.330/.453 line in 95 games at DH, despite battling a pectoral tear.

3. Carlos Delgado, 38 years old

Like Guerrero, Delgado spent a large chunk of the 2009 season on the disabled list. Delgado had a hip injury surgically repaired and played only 26 games in 2009. Delgado started the year slow, hitting .250/.346/.471 in April, but blew up right before going on the DL, hitting .423/.516/.654 in only eight games in May.

Were it not for his advanced age and injury, Delgado would have topped this list by a long shot. He hit 38 home runs in 2008, and showed that his ability with the bat still exists, if only in a reduced form. Delgado will probably sign a low-salary, low-risk contract or retire, but if he refrains from the latter it is likely that some team will get a very good hitter.

4. Russell Branyan, 34 years old

Branyan could have spent the first half of the season counting future millions and even the most conservative accountant or economist couldn’t have faulted him. Then back injuries and bad luck changed that sentiment. The slugger hit .280/.382/.573  before the All-Star break, and only .193/.274/.414 after.

The operative question with Branyan is one of fiction versus reality. Was his first half a fluke? Or did he finally become the major leaguer that scouts projected when he was a top prospect with the Indians early in his career? It’s probably somewhere in the middle, and a short-term risk on a bat with that kind of power is an easy one to apologize for if it fails.

5. Fernando Tatis, 35 years old

Tatis used to be the “remember that guy who hit two grand slams in one inning? Where did he go?” guy. In many circles he still remains that, but Tatis has matured into a pretty decent hitter. In two seasons with the Mets he’s compiled 685 plate appearances, about a full season’s worth. He’s also compiled 19 home runs, 37 doubles, 5 triples and 51 walks, all for a .289/.352/.458 line.

The—ahem—versatile Tatis has also played six positions with the Mets, missing out on pitcher, catcher, and center field. However, just because he has played those positions doesn’t mean he should play those positions. Tatis sports a negative UZR at three of those positions for his career (second base, third base, and right field), a zero UZR at shortstop, and a modest 1.2 UZR at both first base and in left field.

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1. Top 5 Low/High Risk 2009/2010 Free Agent Starters
2. Hot Stove Baseball Free Agent Tracker: 3B
3. Hot Stove Baseball Free Agent Tracker: 1B

If this was the end, what an end it was. Two eras could end in Seattle very soon as both Felix Hernandez and Ken Griffey Jr. may have set foot on the grass at Safeco Field for the last time.

The two players are on very opposite ends of the proverbial candle that represents their respective careers. Hernandez is 23 years old and figures to have another decade-and-a-half of baseball left, while Griffey has just finished his 21^st season, and will turn 40 years old in the middle of November.

While Felix Hernandez is the face of the team, Griffey is the face of the franchise. So when it was Griffey and Ichiro carried off the field on the shoulders of their teammates in the season finale, it was fitting, as King Felix was forced to surrender his throne.

Griffey was instrumental in putting the formerly-unknown team on the map. He was the best player in baseball for quite a while, and the first true star the Mariners had, with apologies to Alvin Davis.

From tape measure homeruns to a winning smile, from a backwards hat to an unbridled, child-like love for the game of baseball, from homering back-to-back with his dad to leaving Seattle to play closer to home, and closer to his own children.

Seattle has experienced ups and downs with Griffey. He grew up with the team, and we grew as baseball fans.

In 1995 we watched Junior break his wrist running down an early-season fly ball and crashing into the wall. And we learned about hustle.

Later that year we watched Griffey hit key homeruns, clutch blasts that propelled to team to a 13-game comeback in the division race. And we learned about power.

We watched Griffey, amidst the team’s first playoff appearance, score the game winning run as the Mariners took the final three of five games against the Yankees in the American League division series. And we learned about winning.

Then “The Kid” decided to leave Seattle, forcing a trade to the Reds, and suddenly Griffey’s age became more apparent. And we learned about losing.

In a town lacking deities, Griffey was a god.

His return this year, in any capacity, at any level of production should help give Hernandez, who was hastily appointed the moniker “King Felix,” some perspective on the cost of being royalty.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

While Hernandez stands to take in a king’s ransom, Griffey’s return shows that perhaps the grass isn’t always greener where the greenbacks are stacked higher.

At the beginning of the year I said that Griffey could have gone 0-500, with 500 strikeouts, and when he stepped into the batter’s box for his 501^st at bat, he’d still be cheered.

In the past I’ve been critical of the Seattle sports fan base, which has a deserving reputation as a fair-weather fan base.

But if 2009 is any indication, the town appreciates greatness and rewards loyalty. They love their players, but especially love players with whom they feel a personal connection.

The odd oxymoron in play, however, is that when the smoke clears and decisions are made, while fans may want to see both players back, either’s exit could ultimately be in the best interest of the team’s long-term viability.

The Mariners can almost surely replace Griffey’s production. Griffey batted .214/.324/.411, hardly unique.

However, going into his first offseason as essentially a full-time designated hitter, perhaps Griffey will train differently. A year’s time adjusting back to the American League would probably be widely considered more tolerable if Griffey wasn’t approaching 40 years old, but the theory exists nonetheless.

And either way, unless the Mariners are World Series bound next year, don’t he and the fans deserve at least one more dance?

It’s hard to push out legends. Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno, football coaches at Florida State and Penn State have spent the better part of the last decade fighting father time and his band of critics.

This situation is nothing like that.

Junior has now played basically two seasons in the stadium that he’s responsible for, and one that was built to equalize the pitcher-batter matchup, but to accentuate his abilities.

At an expected steep discount in salary compared to this year, he deserves to stave off the retirement home for another year at least, and to dwell in the house for which he laid the foundation.

He hit .268/.382/.548 in Safeco Field, which is not only acceptable, but near-equal to Russell Branyan’s .249/.371/.548 line in the home park.

Hernandez is different. He’s a great player, and has finally realized his potential after being perhaps one of the most frustrating players on the Mariners ball club. Hernandez’s talent is unsurpassed, if not unmatched, and yet he’d been only above-average at the beginning of what should be a great career.

His gamble to wait on a long-term contract has paid off, and he’s in an ultimate power position right now, and his value is at its peak.

That value however, applies to both his contract leverage and trade value.

If the Mariners don’t feel they can extend Hernandez, they’d be fools to hang on to him right now.

Regardless, while Griffey laid the foundation for the present, Hernandez will do the same for the future, either by way of a long-term contract or trade that could net the Mariners several top prospects and future contributors.

Related posts:

1. The Mariners’ Hot Stove Report
2. Reflections on the Mariners in July
3. I still have hope for the Mariners

Zack Greinke of the KC Royals

I think we’re all aware of which stats voters use to determine Cy Young winners. For the most part, it’s stats like ERA, wins, K’s, losses, and WHIP. There are a number of reasons why using only those stats doesn’t come close to telling the whole story – each of them is seriously flawed.

Let’s start with ERA. It’s used to calculate how many earned runs a pitcher gives up, on average, per 9 innings pitched. An earned run is a run that reaches base and scores without the assistance of an error. It’s pretty easy to see why this is flawed – all it takes into account are errors. It doesn’t consider range, BABIP, or luck. All of which are extremely important factors for a pitcher. If an outfielder falls over while attempting to catch a routine fly ball, and it ends up going for an inside the park home run, it’s the pitcher’s stats that suffer, as it’s considered an earned run, since no error occurred.

Then, we come to wins. I’ll keep this one short and sweet, as I think most people know by now why wins are a bad statistic. We’ll use Zack Greinke as an example here. He has 16 wins, compared to CC Sabathia’s 19. Has Sabathia been a better pitcher this year? Absolutely not. But Greinke plays for the Royals – a team with an awful offense, and an awful defense, and that has greatly contributed to both his low win total, and his high loss total. If he played for say, the Yankees, he would probably have 21-23 wins.

WHIP is a bad stat for evaluation pitcher’s for the same reason ERA is. It’s designed to measure, on average, how many hits + walks a pitcher allows per inning. Sure, walks are a useful stat to look at, but hits allowed really doesn’t tell you much, because of all the factors that can contribute to a hit (bad range of a fielder, luck, etc.).

There’s nothing wrong with using strikeout’s when considering the Cy Young award, but it has extremely limited use. It tells you, generally, how well the pitcher both misses bats and fools hitters, but that’s only one aspect of being a great pitcher.

So, I’ve explained which stats AREN’T good, but “which ones are?”, you might be asking. The two biggest ones, that really need to break into the minds of the voters, are tRA and FIP.

Now, both of these are extremely complicated stats to calculate, and I’m not so much a sabermetrician in the aspect of calculating statistics, I’m more of a sabermetrician in the aspect of putting these stats to use. So, if you really want to understand these stats, I’d advise you to check out the Statcorner.com glossary or the Fangraphs explanation of FIP.

Basically, tRA was designed to cover every aspect of pitching, rather than selective statistics that don’t come close to telling the whole story. The idea is to assign a run value to every type of event under a pitcher’s control (ground ball, line drive, home run, swinging strike, etc.), and then use it to come up with an expected number runs allowed, and outs allowed, without factoring defense or park factors. That way, it narrows it down only to things under direct control of the pitcher.

FIP, or fielding independent pitching, is a little bit different, and a little bit less advanced. It is designed to figure out how much responsibility a pitcher has for the runs he allows, based only on walks, strikeouts, and home runs. The formula for FIP, per Fangraphs.com, is (HR*13+(BB+HBP-IBB)*3-K*2)/IP. Granted, FIP does have it’s shortcomings, and isn’t as reliable as tRA, but it’s significantly better than any of the basic, more common stats. Also, FIP is one of the few advanced statistics, and probably the only advanced pitching statistic, that has started to break it’s way into mainstream sports coverage.

So, when do I see these stats becoming more popular with Cy Young voters? I have no idea, it could be 2010, it could be 2030. From what I’ve seen, though, the majority of fans/writers that aren’t interested at all in advanced stats, are older people. I would expect, that once the slightly younger generation starts to fill up more of the voter spots, the inevitable transition to advanced stats will speed up.

Related posts:

1. BBA 2009 Cy Young Award Ballot
2. The Gold Glove Award Selection Process Needs Impoving
3. Sabermetrics 101: VORP

Detroit 5, Minnesota 6

Final Record 86-77 (second place)

Devastation.  That’s what I felt Tuesday night as the Twins celebrated following their 12th inning walk off, that’s what I’m feeling Wednesday morning as I write this.

The back and forth nature of this game made it a classic.  The stakes made it one of the greatest in recent memory.  As a Tiger fan, I think it may be easy to get so wrapped up in the disappointment of losing and miss that this was one of the great games in the last several years.

The long and short is that the Twins won the game on a walk-off single by Alexi Casilla, a player whose game last night and season this year might personify the Twins better than any other.  Casilla began the year as the starting second baseman in Minnesota.  He struggled and was sent to the minor leagues.  When he got back, Nick Punto had taken his job.  Now he is the Twins’ biggest hero.

Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

There is plenty of second guessing to be done now that the results are in.  Why was Fernando Rodney left out there for his fourth inning of work?  Why did Jim Leyland send Zach Miner back to the mound in the seventh after he had struggled in the sixth?  Why would you walk Delmon Young to get to Casilla when he was 3/5 in his career versus Rodney?

The answers no longer matter, there was no game for the Tigers on Wednesday or for the rest of the 2009 season.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Critics will call this Tigers team chokers.  They will note that Detroit is the first team to miss the playoffs after holding a three game lead with four to play.  What they forget is that the Twins won 17 of the last 21 games to pass them.  Let it be noted that three of those four losses came versus the Tigers.  Minnesota just stopped losing to anyone else.  A team that had played under .500 all year took off when two of their best hitters were lost for the season.  The Twins were a freight train.  There was no stopping them.

Cheers for

• Magglio Ordonez- Maggs got the scoring started with a run scoring single, then tied the game with a solo home run when hope appeared lost in the eighth.  It was the second straight game in which Magglio homered.  He had an amazing second half.

• Miguel Cabrera- for all he put himself through over the weekend, Cabrera delivered a double and a two-run homer in his first two at bats.  As Chip Caray noted, “Redemption, thy name is Cabrera.”

• Fernando Rodney- The numbers will show that Rodney allowed the tying run in the 10th and then the winning run in the 12th, but Rodney pitched his heart out and had to work around a misplayed triple that put the tying run on base in that 10th inning.  I don’t know, but I would guess he went up by at least five points in Leyland’s book.  Too soon?

• Rick Porcello- It feels like months ago that Porcello started this game.  He tied his career high with eight strike outs and pitched very well, all things considered.  It’s going to be fun watching him pitch in Detroit for years to come.

• The Minnesota Twins- They just stopped losing.  I would hope that this incredible run is remembered by history far more than the Tigers’ losses.  Detroit did not go 2-13 down the stretch or anything like that, Minnesota just caught fire and there was nothing that could stop them.  Congratulations to the Division Champs.  Now go kick the hell out of the Yankees.

Jeers to

• Zach Miner- Miner came up small in the biggest spot of the year, unable to keep Orlando Cabrera in the ballpark and turning a one run lead into a deficit.  He can be an effective pitcher, but he thinks he’s a starter.  Trade him to someone else that agrees.

• Ryan Raburn- Raburn helped the cause with two hits and he gunned down the winning run at the plate, but his defense cuts the other way, too.  Raburn leapt into (and not over) the wall on the Cabrera homer that gave Minnesota the lead, a more experienced outfielder would know to give himself more room to jump.  He also played Micheal Cuddyer’s single into a triple to lead off the 10th with a one run lead.  You absolutely have got to keep that ball in front of you, he did not.

What’s on tap

Sadly, nothing.  The Tigers end the season in second place after leading the division for 163 straight days.  There is a long, cold winter ahead.  Brandon Inge faces knee surgery, several players will be moving on to new clubs, and several new faces will take their place.

I’ll have a season recap coming soon.  In the meantime, watch the playoffs and hope that this club can play meaningful games next October as well.  That’s really all you can ask for.

Related posts:

1. Carlos Guillen Key for Tigers’ Pennant Chances
2. Why The Trade Deadline May Be Disappointing For Tigers Fans
3. Detroit Tigers June Splits