An HONEST Review of Opening Day

I used to have a tradition of going to every Minnesota Twins Opening Day game. It was a tradition that began in my youth, sometimes with my father, sometimes with friends, but always with my team. Without getting too sentimental about hope springing eternal, or stolen moments with those that are no longer with us, it was an excuse to see a baseball game—THE baseball game. Or, it was at least the first baseball game, and there was something special about being a part of what always seemed like a real event.

I know, especially at this stage in life, that Opening Day is really just another day, pomp and circumstance aside. Minus the revelry that accompanies the beginning of a new season, the first game is just another game, one of many that must be won en route to the playoffs. That is, assuming your team is the right combination of lucky and good. 

It would be easy to say, oh, the Twins aren’t expected to be competitive in 2013, and that’s the reason you excitation is muted. Sure, that could be a part of it. Admittedly, it’s a lot harder to be jovial about the likes Trevor Ploufffe, Chris Parmelee, Pedro Florimon, and Opening Day starter Vance Worley than it was for Kirby Puckett, Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunansky and Frank Viola. No, fighting not to lose 100 games doesn’t carry the same weight as fighting for a World Series. However, winning and losing alone can’t explain why I can no longer muster the level of exhilaration I once seemed experience, even as recently as a few short seasons ago.

If I’m being completely honest, part of my malaise could potentially be traced to not having been gainfully employed since the summer of 2010. At first it was fan-goddamn-tastic, with a severance package that afforded me enough money to fill all my newfound leisure time with as much baseball as one could possibly hope for. But that money didn’t last forever, and neither did the good times. I thought finding a job would be as easy as it was a decade ago, especially with more than eight years of additional work experience and glowing recommendations from my former employers. Alas, that wasn’t the case. That still isn’t the case. Today, rather than having a job that affords me the creature comforts I desire, I struggle from day to day to pay bills I can, and set aside those that I can’t. 

I’ve made every effort to stay ahead of creditors, but not always to the satisfaction of all. All the while I’ve also tried to stay on top of my passion for baseball. However, due to my hectic work schedule, one the requires I work until 5 or 6 AM at times, I seem less able (or inclined) to keep up with my swelling collection of books to be read, games to be watched, and blogs to be written. I had to make a choice between writing for two reputable fantasy sports sites and going back to school for a certification in project management, a decision I assumed could only help build my resume. Sadly, this did little to advance my career. All it did was squeeze one more drop of satisfaction from my life’s endeavors, leaving the remaining cup less than half-full, and reminding me that the cost of living is often far more expensive than anything with a dollar sign attached.

I miss Kirby Puckett. Hell, I miss John Castino. I miss being able to wake up and look forward to perusing box scores in some discarded newspaper I found on the Blue Line on my way to work. I miss the importance of Opening Day, even knowing that it’s mostly a mirage. But mostly, I miss waking up and looking forward to something in my day. I miss baseball.

Opening Dayadness Madness

Kudos to you if you predicted that after [any number] games Rick Ankiel would lead baseball in home runs, Erik Bedard would be the league leader in saves, and the Houston Astros would be in first place. Also, you may want to know that the villagers are forming a mob as we speak, because you’re also a witch! The odds of any of these things happening individually is enough to boggle the mind; having all three happen at once is enough to make Giorgio Tsoukalos ramble on about alien intervention this, and antediluvian conspiracy that. It is, quite simply, a confluence of circumstances that circumvents reality as we know it, rendering all logic useless and risks thrusting the world into a new dark age.

Or, that's the narrative we're all supposed to believe. The fact is, weird shit like that happens all the time in sports. The best team doesn't always win. In fact, sometimes the worst team ends up winning. Just ask the 1969 Mets about that one. 

Does anyone really believe that the Astros will somehow finish in front of their now division rival Rangers? Probably not.  Does anyone really believe that any of the cockimany half-theories espoused by any number of twitter contributors heap upon us (myself included) to stay ahead of the would-be comedic pack of jackals? A few people probably do, but we'll pretend that they don't exist.

The fact is, we're clamoring to make a huge deal over the first game of the season, partly because ESPN has exclusive rights to the only game to open the season. Hooray for their network for having the capitol to artificially create actual rooting interest in a team like the (first place) Astros, but in reality, well, it;'s just one game--the only game. So, yea, we're making a huge deal about it right now, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future (first pitch on April 1). But when the very next game is played, just a few hours from now, we'll all conveniently forget all the artificial importance we placed on the strange and unusual happenings that unfolded before our eyes on March 31, 2012, and we'll settle into our old/new routines of tweeting about the new meme of the day.

Too Braun-y for MLB

Say what you will about Ryan Braun's positive test for PEDs. Perhaps he's guilty of wilfully ingesting an illegal steroid or steroid-like compound, and maybe he's not. The fact that a second, independent test came back negative should cast some doubt upon either the first test or the testing process in its entirety. Reasonability dictates that readers at least consider the later--that MLB drug testing isn't as fool-proof as previously believed. That's right, even in an era of genetic manipulation, interplanetary space exploration, and cable television programs specifically dedicated to the scientific dissection of sport as a physical construct, yes, science can sometimes fail. How?

Well, it should be noted, that science itself is not responsible for the failings at hand, not in the intellectual sense. Rather, the real failing is that of execution. Scientific endeavors are not always executed with the infallibility that would make most of us completely comfortable.

Supplements are not governed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because supplements, by definition, are neither a food nor a drug. Supplements exist in a nebulous quasi-regulated gray area, one that can skirt the law by leaning on such phrases as "natural", "healthy" and "proprietary blend"--terms designed to make consumers feel as though they have the upper hand in determining the course of their personal health. This is a lie.

In reality, numerous supplement companies have confessed to adding some very un-natural substances to their product lines in order to increase their potency, essentially adding actual steroids to mere "vitamins" to make the steroid-like effects seem as authentic as the real thing. They seem as real because, well, they are real. Oh, that's right, it's possible for the scientists that try to keep MLB clean to be duped by the scientists that are employed by fly-by-night supplement companies in an effort to make money, even at the expense of the general consumer.

Could something along these lines have happened to Ryan Braun? Well, we've been forcefed this excuse a million times before and almost always unsuccessfully so. That being said, it's unlikely that Braun's excuse, even in light of the clean re-test administered two weeks after the initial positive one, will be enough to exonerate him. This goes beyond the court of MLB. there's the court of public opinion, and there, well, it's guilty until proven "we don't care".

CSI (Crazy Signing Indictment) Miami

Okay, so now everyone’s a $100 million player, even someone like Jose Reyes. That’s, well, just great. It used to be that a player needed to be able to do things, important things like stay healthy, before he was awarded $100 million (Chipper Jones notwithstanding). Then along came the remodeled Miami Marlins with nothing but imaginary money to spend and, voila, a “dream” left side off the infield is born. Along with Hanley Ramirez (likely shifting to 3B), the Marlins boast seven All-Star seasons and two National League batting titles on the same side of their projected infield. That sounds pretty damn special, but there could be more to the story. There is more to the story.

Alas, that dream may end up turning into a nightmare for the most obvious reason---health.  Combined, Ramirez and Reyes played in just 67% of their total possible games, largely due to injuries. In Ramirez’s case, some of those bumps and bruises were to the ego, but that’s neither here nor there, right? Yah, in this day and age, health and attitude hardly ever play a role in on-field production. Ugh.

For Reyes, gifted though he may be at the plate and on the bases, there has to be concern over his ability to stay healthy. Since 2008, he’s only played in 295 of a possible 486 games (less than 61%), and that stat, more than the batting title or all the stolen bases really should have guided teams in their free agent pursuit. To be fair, it probably did. It’s not like there’s a glut of shortstop talent in the big leagues these days.  In fact, an (easy) argument could be made that it’s the thinnest position in all of MLB entering 2012. Yet, with virtually every team in need of an offensive-minded shortstop, there were only a handful of teams delusional enough to even begin negotiations with Reyes.

But does any of that matter with the revamped Marlins? Apparently not. The fish, it would seem, are intent on making a splash in 2012 (despicable pun intended). Already having overpaid Heath Bell ($27 million over three years), what was another $106 million to Reyes? Based on his last three seasons with the Mets, the Marlins are (over)paying Reyes for 972 possible games and if they get 592 from him, well, everyone told you so. He’s missed 39% of all games over the past three seasons and that matter is not being disputed. Isn’t that right counselor?

Look, if there’s a way to suggest that Reyes is likely to outperform his contract, feel free to make the case. The truth it, it’s really hard to imagine anyone stepping up to make such an inflammatory assertion in a public forum, much less the court of law that is the internet. Alas, if there is such a brave soul, come out, come out wherever you are…

Twins Showing Interest in Chris Capuano

For the sake of the team, that interest better be tepid, at best. This is a player that the pitching-starved Mets are going to let walk away because of his demands for a 2-year contract. By the way, how great is it that a pitcher with a 57-64 career record and 4.39 ERA (97 ERA+) is making contract demands? Welcome to the market wherein C.J. Wilson is the best available pitcher [sigh]. In a pitching desert, the Twins have somehow convinced themselves that Capuano will lead them to water. Alas, Capuano couldn't find water in a land with 10,000 lakes--not in the pitching sense anyway.

This is also the same team that just gave Jamey Carroll a 2-year deal for his age 39 and 40 seasons. That'll fix that last place club right up; won't it? If you happen to detect a bit of sarcasm (along with some bile and rage) it's because Jamey Carroll is not the answer to the Twins problems. He's not the answer because Carroll just isn't good at doing the things that the Twins desperately need, namely someone that can play baseball. Carroll's minor league coaches knew this.  In fact, it's the reason why he didn't get a Major League call-up until he was already 28. Had he been good enough, he would have made it to the bigs sooner, right?

Rather than bemoan the fact that Carroll will be in Minnesota for the next two seasons, perhaps it's time to celebrate the move for what it really is--the return of Nick Punto. Oh how the Twins have missed their plucky, little mascot. Now, with Carroll, Twins fans can usher in a return to mediocrity, if they can even make it that far. It was, after all, quite a fall from grace in 2011. It's just hard to imagine any universe in which Chris Capuano and Jamey Carroll are going to right the ship.

Dawning of a New Era for Cubs?

Aramis Ramirez, a fixture at third base for the Cubs since he arrived in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 2003 season, has informed the team that he will declare for free agency following the season.  In one sense, it’s a big loss for the Cubs.  Having stability at one position for so long has allowed the team to focus on other needs.  Sadly, many of their plans in that regard have fallen flat (see: the Alfonso Soriano signing).  Still, the team always seemed to have the question of who’s on third answered before anyone even bothered to ask it, and there was always value in certainty.  Another certainty, of course, has been the production Ramirez offered.

The pedigree is certainly there for Ramirez.   He’s  been one of the more productive third basemen in baseball for the past decade.  Many forget he was a solid contributor for Pittsburgh before his penchant for laziness prompted the team to ship him to Chicago for next to nothing.  He originally came over with outfielder Kenny Lofton for a “prospects” that included the likes of Matt Burback, Jose Hernandez and a player to be named later (Bobby Hill).    Since then, Ramirez has reached at least 25 home runs in seven of his eight seasons with the Cubs, leading the team twice in that department.  He also led the team in RBIs on five different occasions.  His 238 home runs are sixth on the Cubs all-time list, and Ramirez is also third all-time in slugging percentage (.531), trailing Sammy Sosa and Hack Wilson.

As one of the top hitting third basemen available in an otherwise weak free agent class, Ramirez figures to be paid, and paid well.  Considering he’s already stated publically that “I think I can play three more years”, it’s hard to imagine Ramirez garnering anything longer.  Sure, it’s a possibility that someone in an act of desperation might extend themselves beyond three years (age 36 for Ramirez), but that would smack of something only a team like the Cubs might do.

While the absence of Ramirez’s bat in the lineup will be seen by most as a significant loss, it could actually provide the team with some much needed flexibility.  It might also prompt the new GM (whomever that may be) to finally embrace the rebuilding plan the Cubs so desperately need.  Despite a few burdensome contracts that remain (Soriano and Carlos Zambrano come to mind), management desperately needs to realize that fielding a competitive team is well out of reach.  Signing an expensive free agent like Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder would make headlines, but it would further limit the financial flexibility of a team already hampered by poor fiscal decisions.  Moving in the opposite direction, and without the likes of Aramis Ramirez, is a step in the right direction.

Nationals Considering Extending Wang

Then again, who among us isn’t?  After waiting the past two seasons for Chien-Ming Wang to make it back to a Major League mound, the Nationals were finally “rewarded” with the former Yankee All-Star finally toed the rubber for Washington in 2011.  While he’s hardly having a stellar season, with more walk than strikeouts and a 4.43 ERA, Wang has apparently impressed Washington team officials with his diligence and work ethic.   It’s also a dramatic improvement from his last big league season (2009) in which he went 1-6 with a [gulp] 9.64 ERA.  Phew.  It’s nice to see progress, but is gumption alone enough reason to simply throw away money?

Baseball is a results oriented game.  If you’re not first, you’re last and so on.  Considering his 2011 season stats, wherever they end up., there’s no way in hell that Wang has earned a spot on the Nationals team for 2012.  Has he?  Considering the direction in which the team seems to be moving (see: Jayson Werth), it looks like they feel they’re looking to contend in the near future.  A pitcher like Wang is hardly in a position to move them in that direction—not now.  In fact, there has never really been a point in time when Wang was good as the accolades he received.

Believe it or not (and only a Yankee fan would), Wang actually finished second in American League Cy Young voting in 2006 after going 19-6 with a 3.63 ERA.  Meh.  He pitched 218 innings that season and retired just 76 via strikeout, a miserable 3.1 K/9.  In fact, Wang’s career K/9 (4.1) is the lowest of any Major League pitcher with two or more seasons with at least 19 wins.  No, that’s not a real stat, but without looking, it seems logical to assume it to be true.  For all the wins he amassed (largely as a result of playing for THE New York Yankees), Wang is viewed in some circles as a solid pitcher because he’s a “winner”.  Sure.  Right.  Werth came from a culture of winning in Philadelphia too, and everyone has seen how is winning ways have translated to on-field success in and for Washington.

Michael Young: Mr. Ranger

It’s difficult to fully evaluate Michael Young and his place in Rangers lore, especially since his tenure with the team hasn’t yet expired.  Before the season, and following the acquisition of third baseman Adrian Beltre, the Texas Rangers seemed poised to trade Young, the Rangers all-time leader in games played, at bats, and hits (to name just a few).  Few would argue against the notion that Young is, for all the aforementioned reasons, the face of the Texas Rangers.  He’s been a fixture with the team since his first full season (2001), through good and bad, thick and thin.  Win or lose, Young was there, doing his part, no matter what part he was asked to play.

On one hand, Young gets credit for playing multiple positions during his 12 year career.  For his career, Young has played 28 games at first base, 428 games at second base, 330 games at third base, 788 games at shortstop, and served as the designated hitter in 89 games.  On the other hand, he has a reputation among the advanced metrics crowd for being a poor defender despite winning a Gold Glove at shortstop in 2008. Yet through all the changes and despite the criticisms, Young has always done two things very well—remain healthy and hit the baseball.

The Rangers have been beset by injuries all year.  Along with his inability to hit in day games, Josh Hamilton’s fragility is among his most identifiable characteristics.  Nelson Cruz too has developed quite the reputation for being an elite offensive contributor…when healthy (and he hasn’t been).  Beltre, the player that pushed Young from third, and very nearly off the team altogether, has seen his production limited by a bad hamstring.  Young, however, has played in 141 games (to date) and he’s done so while playing four different positions.  No matter what manager Ron Washington asked of him, Young delivered.  As in his career overall, Young’s 2011 season has been defined by versatility and hitting.

Known for his ability to amass hits and hit to a high average, Young’s current .333 batting average would be the highest off his career.  In fact, he’s currently second in the American League behind only Adrian Gonzalez of the Red Sox.  Should he manage to overtake Gonzalez, it would be the second batting title in Young’s career (2004 being the first).  He’s topped 200 hits on five different occasions, and appears poised to do so again in 2011.  As he’s done so many times in his career, Young again leads the Rangers in games played, hits, and batting average, as well as doubles, triples, and RBIs.

No matter how you slice it, the Rangers owe much of their success this year to their inability to trade Young before the season began.  Often times, the best trades a team can make are the ones that never happen.  That’s the case with Michael Young and the 2011 Rangers.  He went from would-be cast away to the glue that holds a division leading team together.  With one more superior season to his credit, Young has taken yet another step toward defining himself as Mr. Ranger.  http://tinyurl.com/3t5455o

Jered Weaver: The Deep End of the Gene Pool

Remember how Jeff Weaver was, or, was going to be?  As an up and coming Tigers pitcher, it seemed like the sky was the limit for Weaver.  Well, maybe not the sky, because those Tiger teams of the early 2000s weren’t exactly taking the world by storm, and Weaver’s W/L record always reflected that fact. Weaver never had a winning season for the Tigers, despite putting together some downright dominant stretches.  He was eventually traded to the Yankees (where he didn’t fare much better) and then bounced around between a few organizations, including mostly the Mariners and Dodgers.  Assuming Weaver is finished (and it looks like he is), his career record will stand at 104-119, the end result of pitching to a 4.71 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.  Also, a large part of what stunted Weaver’s success was his inability to generate strikeouts despite having pretty good “stuff”.  His career 5.94 K/9 doesn’t exactly bring back memories of Nolan Ryan.

It would seem that all the real pitching talent in the family fell to Jeff’s younger brother Jered—you know, the one that just signed that $85 million contract with the Angels.  He’s actually pretty damn good.  Five years in the league, and Jered was already a five-time double-digit winner, including a 16-8 season in 2009.  Like his brother, Jered never gave up too many free passes, as evidenced by his career 2.44 BB/9.  Unlike his brother, however, Jered didn’t pitch to contact so much, and wasn’t afraid to send a hitter back to the bench shaking his head (career 7.78 K/9).  Those extra two strikeouts per game are the main difference between the brothers, but certainly not the only one.

While analysts were always waiting (often impatiently) for older brother Jeff to take that proverbial next step, younger brother Jered was able to do it—in a big way too.  In fact, for those that have been paying attention to the 2011 season, he’s been doing it this year.   Jered is 14-6 with a 2.10 ERA and 0.97 WHIP and the true ace of a very solid Angels starting staff.  And, knowing full-well what they had, the team rewarded him with that big, fat contract.

Funny thing though, there are a lot of people questioning Weavers decision to settle for so little, given the recent contract developments for frontline starters recently.  Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia are all basically set for life.  And while the average Joe might not be able to even fathom having $85 million in the bank, it’s a far cry from what those aforementioned mound aces are bringing home.  Lee is averaging $24 million a season and Sabathia is scraping by at $23 mil. per.    Let’s not forget that Johan Santana is making just under $23 million not to pitch for the Mets in 2011, and possibly never again.  But, therein lies the motivation for Weaver to cash in now—volatility.  How long before Weaver feels his first real ache, pain, or strain?  How long before he finds himself on the DL for an extended period of time?  How long before he spends a summer in the waiting room of Dr. James Andrews?  Or, how long before his electric stuff simply dries up, preventing him from being an effective Major League starter (like his brother before him)?

Did the Tigers Manage to Upgrade Their OF?

So, what you’re telling us is that trades can and do happen after the trade deadline?  That’s what the Twins and Tigers are saying after the Twins sent Delmon Young packing to Detroit for left-hander Cole Nelson and a player to be named later.  It’s the kind of deal that would be barely worth mentioning if not for the name-cache of the players involved.  Magglio Ordonez (indirectly involved in the trade) was once a legitimate star player in the league, even if that star has dimmed.  Young was once Baseball America’s top-rated prospect and did have at least one productive season, hinting at his former (?) abilities. 

The Tigers seem intent on improving the team’s offensive production, particularly from the outfield, where Young will presumably take at bats away from Ordonez (among others).  Ordonez currently owns a .2223 batting average, .280 OBP and .295 SLG—all representing career lows for the former All-Star.  Despite making millions and millions of dollars, the writing is on the wall for Ordonez that if the end isn’t here, it’s decidedly near.  He isn’t helping the Tigers in their 2011 playoff push, and it’s time for him to step aside for a better player.

Anyone getting excited about the notion of Young stepping in as the missing piece in the Tigers outfield may want to consider his numbers.  His .266 batting average, .305 OBP, and .357 SLG are only marginal improvements.  Oh, sure, a lot of people will point to Young’s 112 RBIs from 2010as definitive proof that he’s a better player at this stage in his career than Ordonez.  However, the argument here isn’t whether Young is better; it’s all about how much better.  Delmon Young offers a positive contribution (0.6 WAR), but the difference between he and whatever the Tigers already had lying around is negligible.

Left field is the domain of Brennan Boesch, who has been dealing with an injured thumb lately.  Boesch’s .809 OPS is easily the best among any OF-eligible player on the Tigers roster.  He’s not going to be displaced by anyone right now, especially not Young.  The speedy Austin Jackson is a fixture in center field, and even though his 2011 production (batting average in particular) has been largely a disappointment, he’s not going anywhere either.  Hell, Jackson is the only person on the Tigers roster capable of playing center, something he actually does rather well.

Andy Dirks has been far better than advertised.  In limited playing time (171 at bats) he’s totaled six home runs and four steals—both outpacing Young on the year (305 at bats, no less).   Don Kelly has produced numbers that look eerily similar to Young’s (.235, 3 HR, 2 SB) and in far less playing time.  If Young has one advantage, aside from his former prospect-pedigree, it’ the simple fact that he’s a right-handed hitter.  Dirks and Kelly both bat from the left side, and Young does offer a different option for manager Jim Leyland, albeit a pretty mediocre option.

Colorado's Very Rocky Rotation

In a deal that smacks of desperation (pitcher’s neck broken by a batted ball-type desperation), the Rockies signed Kevin Millwood.  Millwood spent most of the 2011 season pitching in the Boston Red Sox system, although calling it “pitching” might be an overestimation.  In his 16 minor league games (Red Sox and Yankees), Millwood has gone 7-2, almost in spite of himself.  He’s pitched to a 4.32 ERA while posting a 7.6 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9—numbers that don’t seem to portend of future success.

Despite having posted some very good seasons early in his career, Millwood is just not a big league pitcher any more.  The last time he posted a K/9 above 7.0 was way back in 2004.  Since then, he’s averaged 6.4 K/9 over six seasons, during which time he’s also pitched to a 61-73 record, 4.37 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, making Millwood an average pitcher at best.  The past four seasons, however, Millwood’s been even worse, pitching to a 4.73 ERA and 1.51 WHIP—numbers that would get him released from anyone’s fantasy team, and from every Major League team as luck would have it.  There’s a reason he hasn’t pitched at the big league level this season—he’s just not good enough.

Alas, here’s the door, slightly ajar, mostly because Juan Nicasio is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a broken vertebra in his neck.  IT’s a scary injury to be certain, but all indications are that Nicasio is doing well following a surgery to address the injury.  Coupled with the departure of staff ace Ubaldo Jimenez (traded to Cleveland), the Rockies are terribly thin in their rotation.  Don’t forget, they also lost Jorge De La Rosa to Tommy John surgery on June 3.  So, that’s the bad news.

The infinitely worse news is that the team somehow feels that Kevin Millwood might be an upgrade over whatever they have going right now.  Currently, the Rockies rotation includes Jhoulys Chacin, Aaron Cook, Jason Hammel, and Esmil Rogers.  That’s right, just when it seems like every big league team is contemplating a 6-man rotation, the Rockies only have four starters—total.  And to think that entering the season the Rockies looked as though their rotation might actually be their strength.  That is no longer the case.  In fact, inking Millwood clearly signals that at 53-62 the team is simply hoping to finish the 2011 season without fate interceding and claiming yet another starter.  If you’re looking for some levity in this otherwise grim ordeal, the starting pitching situation in Colorado does feel a little bit like the drummer situation in Spinal Tap, doesn’t it?

It's All in Morneau's Head

Reports out of Minnesota indicate that former American League MVP Justin Morneau’s surgically repaired neck isn’t bothering him.  While he had surgery back on June 29 to repair a herniated disc in his neck, it looks like he’s already eyeballing a return to the Twins.  In fact, he’s set to begin a rehab assignment in AAA Rochester.  Hopefully this is the Rochester where the Mayo Clinic is located, because there’s more than just a neck injury to worry about with Morneau.  This is a player who just hasn’t been himself since suffering a concussion on July 7, 2010—an injury that forced him to miss the rest of the season.  Since returning, he’s hit just .225 with a .281 OBP and .338 SLG.  His limitations are the obvious result of post-concussion syndrome (PCS), an ailment that has ended many a professional athlete’s career before his time.  The general medical consensus is that symptoms that don’t dissipate after one year are likely to be permanent.  That’s right; Morneau could be forced to deal with this for the rest of his days on Earth.

That’s a prospect none of us would want to face.  Regardless of how post-concussion syndrome affects Morneau’s playing career, it’s likely to be an obstacle in his day-to-day life—something to which everyone can relate.  Imagine going through each day with severe headaches, dizziness, and even blurred vision, all without getting drunk the night before.  It’s like a hangover that never ceases—unrelenting in and painful.  There are also lasting psychological effects that have been linked to PCS, including anxiety, irritability, and depression.

Alas, this is what Justin Morneau now faces.  He assures his adoring fans that he’s feeling better and pledges to get back to doing what he loves most (playing baseball) in life as soon as he can.  However, Corey Koskie loved baseball too, and after being diagnosed with PCS in 2006, he had to walk away from the game just a year later.  Mike Matheny was best known for his four Gold Gloves behind the plate, but he too was driven from the game by PCS. 

In fact, as more and more becomes known about the lasting effects of concussions, the game of baseball will have to find a way to address the issue before it grows to epic proportions as we’ve seen in other sports, specifically football and hockey.  In those sports, concussions are an everyday occurrence, and as science tries to keep pace with the escalating financial commitment of sport, it’s important to pay attention to the way in which player’s lives are being affected.  Mind you, in a win at all costs society, and with a prevailing “rub some dirt on it” mentality in sports, generally, it won’t be easy to change the existing culture. 

The Show Must Go On...

We’ve seen look-alikes before.  Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays had one, and he rose to a certain amount of fame, albeit just locally and briefly.  It seems that the city of Seattle now has a doppelganger of its own to deal with.  There’s been an Ichiro Suzuki impersonator running amok at Safeco Field, posing with adoring fans and even obliging autograph requests from time to time.

He’s been to numerous games, in full Mariners regalia, including that all too famous number 51 jersey, high socks and just the right curvature to his M’s cap atop his head—a head that bears an uncanny resemblance to the 10-time All-Star, right down to the trademark facial hair.  It’s a pretty amazing resemblance, really.  He was even removed from a Mariners game for interfering with a live ball during the course of a game during an August 3 contest against the Oakland Athletics.  Fans were hard on the mimicking Mariner as security escorted him from the game, but what most failed to realize is that this isn’t the first time this copycat has involved himself on the field of play.  In fact, he’s been on the field a great deal this season.

A quick glance at the numbers reveals what some have suspected for most of the season—that Ichiro Suzuki has vanished.  It seems almost unthinkable, but the stats don’t lie.  The real Ichiro was a .331 career hitter entering the 2011 season, but this sad approximation is currently hitting just .264.  In fact, every shred of statistical evidence supports the notion that Ichiro (the player, the icon, the legend) has been replaced by a stand-in.  That stand in has a 186-point difference in OPS, and he’s certainly not going to reach 200 hits, something the real Ichiro could have done in his sleep.  Alas, it’s hard to expect the understudy to perform as well as the star listed on the marquee.  While the double looks, dresses, and moves like the leading man, there are palpable differences (like a 61-point drop in OBP or 117-point drop in SLG) that even the most casual observer can detect.  This charlatan still has some baseball talent (28 steals), but he hasn’t managed to fool everyone. 

The fans noticed, and so too did opposing managers.  The phony Ichiro failed to earn an All-Star nod for the first time since arriving in the Major Leagues, perhaps a turning point in his career.  It’s hard to say if and when the real Ichiro will return to the game.  If he does, will he ever be the same player that electrified fans for the past decade with hit after game-changing hit?  Will he be able to recapture the aura he once possessed?  Will he continue to make a run at what once seemed like a clear path to the Hall of Fame? For now, the show must go on, even without one of the game’s brightest stars.

Rangers Bolster the Bullpen at the Deadline

If not for the superior pitching of the San Francisco Giants and some timely hitting by Cody Ross (and Co.), the Texas Rangers would have won a World Series in 2010.  That alone could have been enough of an accomplishment to placate fans for at least a few seasons.  However, management refused to rest on its laurels, realizing that the team’s 61-48 record in 2011 places them in a position to make another playoff (World Series?) run.  That realization led to a couple of noteworthy deadline deals to bolster the Rangers bullpen, perhaps the most glaring weakness on an otherwise strong Texas squad.  With a collective ERA of 4.42, the Rangers bullpen ranked 11^th in the American League.  Because of two notable transactions, that should no longer be an issue.

In one deal, the team acquired Mike Adams, formerly off the Padres, a pitcher who is 3-1 on the year with a 1.12 ERA and 0.73 WHIP and was third in baseball with 23 holds at the time of the trade.  In fact, since joining the Padres, Adams went 9-5 with a 1.66 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 217 innings.  If that weren’t enough, he carried a 4.08 K/BB over that span, striking out 241 while walking just 59 (just 9 BB in 48 IP in 2011).  With all the trade rumors surrounding closer extraordinaire Heath Bell, many baseball executives felt Adams was the more valuable arm, both in terms of dollars and production.  Based on the available evidence, they may very well have been correct; Nolan Ryan and the Rangers brass seem to think so.

In another, the Rangers obtained the services of Koji Uehara from the Baltimore Orioles.   Despite his success the last two years, Uehara has been one of the more unsung bullpen heroes in baseball.  Since becoming a reliever full-time in 2010, he’s done nothing but dominate.  As the primary set-up man and sometimes closer in Baltimore, Uehara has compiled an impressive resume.  His 2.25 ERA and 0.82 WHIP would impress anyone, but it’s his 9.15 K/9 over that span that really defines his success.  In 92 innings, Uehara amassed 119 strikeouts, all while pitching in the brutal climate that is the American League East.  Not only does he pitch well, he pitched well against top-flight competition in high-leverage situations.  One might even make the argument that he’s, well, “clutch”.

In the process, the Rangers rid themselves of 4-A superstar Chris Davis, a player that has shown time and time again that he’s just too talented for triple-A and simply not quite ready for prime time in the big leagues.  He has all the power in the world, but with a ridiculous strikeout rate (31.7% for his career) and inability to hit big league pitching, well, his upside is that of new Orioles teammate Mark Reynolds.  Frankly, when your upside is that of one of the most frustrating players the game has seen in recent years (Reynolds), it’s hard to see his departure is a tragic loss.  Any way you slice it, Davis’ greatest asset to the Rangers was as a trade chip, and that’s just what happened.  Having to include pitcher Tommy Hunter (4.36 career ERA) was of little consequence given all that’s at stake for the Rangers.

The Rangers now have three of the most dominant relief pitchers in the game today anchoring their bullpen.  Let’s not forget that they still have 2010 AL Rookie of the Year Neftali Feliz to close out games at the back end.  The problem with Feliz is that he’s regressed mightily this season.  His K/9 fell from 9.2 in 2010 to just 6.3 in 2011.  His BB/9 has basically doubled too, jumping from 2.34 to 4.66.  His inability to find the plate has forced manager Ron Washington to lose even more hair—something he can ill afford to do.  Should he struggle in the future, there are now two highly capable arms (statistically superior ones too) to take over should circumstances dictate.  The suggestions that the additions of Adams and Uehara have ostensibly shortened every Rangers game to a six-inning contest is a bit of an overstatement, but it’s patently obvious that they are a better team today than they before the July 31 trade deadline.

Looking for Help at the Not-So-Hot Corner

To begin the season, third base was already looking particularly thin, especially when you looked past the elite tier: Evan Longoria, David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman and even Alex Rodriguez.  Interestingly enough, the one thing each member of that quartet has in common is that every one of them has sustained a major injury this year—as defined by time lost to the DL.  Longoria was absent from April 3 until May 33, and didn’t hit his first home run until May 7.  David Wright hasn’t played now since May 15, after sustaining a [gulp] broken back (speaking of serious injuries).  Zimmerman, slowly but surely having his career partially defined by his penchant for injuries was out from the second week of April until June 14, and he’s still hitting just .240 with 5 HR (maybe he’s still not completely healthy).  And everyone’s favorite cornerstone, A-Rod, just went on the 15-day DL on July 8 following knee surgery and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.  All that DL time just added injury to insult, making it nearly impossible for fantasy owners to find a productive bat at the hot corner.

One intriguing option entering the year was Pedro Alvarez of the Pittsburg Pirates.  The Pirates seemed on the verge of finally improving (and improve they certainly have), but it was believed that Alvarez was going to have to have a big offensive season for that to happen.  After hitting 29 home runs between the big leagues and minors in 2010 (16 with Pittsburgh), it seemed like he was ready for a breakout season in 2011.  Not counting Jose Bautista (who was ranked as an outfielder), Alvarez seemed as capable of anyone (Mark Reynolds included) to hit 40 bombs while playing third.  He hasn’t lived up to his potential.  In 36 disappointing big league games this season, Alvarez hit just .208 with two (TWO?!?!?!) home runs.  His OBP still sits at a miserable .283, and it took a May 18 home run to finally push his SLG over .300.  That translates to a .587 OPS—a clear indication that something (some things, plural) was amiss.  In fact, Alvarez has been so bad this year that the Pirates had no recourse but to send him back to AAA following an injury off his own (really, every 3B in baseball has been hurt).  That’s where he currently resides, hoping to earn another shot with the perplexingly pugnacious Pirates.

The silver lining, if there is one, is that Alvarez is finally hitting in Indianapolis.  In 13 AAA games, Alvarez is hitting .370 with a .444 OBP and .543 SLG—numbers that suggest he’s finally healthy. Granted, it’s just 138 plate appearances, but his 2 home runs, 12 runs, and 10 RBIs are all positive signs.  A little more seasoning and he’s almost certain to return to the big club.  It’s not like Brandon Wood (talk about failed prospects) and his .209 batting average or .619 OPS present insurmountable obstacles for Alvarez to return.  Interestingly enough, a power bat seems to be the one missing ingredient for Pittsburgh to continue their surprising playoff push.  They’ve been linked in trade rumors to a few names, including Josh Willingham and Carlos Pena.  However, Alvarez might be able to offer a boost with zero cost to the team.  The potential cost to fantasy owners would be almost as minimal.  It’s not like he not widely available on the waiver wire, and considering the dearth of healthy, productive third basemen, he might not be a terrible speculative add.