Raul real
Seriously, how is it that Raul Ibanez has yet to make an All-Star team? Maybe he’ll have better luck in the National League, eh?
Part of the problem the last couple of years has been that he was on the Mariners, the Mariners weren’t very good, and they already had a perennial All-Star outfielder in Ichiro. So if it’s one and done, it’s going to be Ichiro. Two years ago, it was Ichiro and closer J.J. Putz. Tough spot.
Might it be better in Philly? Sure. And you’d think the players’ vote would get him in, at least. This guy plays the game like it should be played, and he’s at times truly explosive offensively — see: his three HRs and nine RBIs in the last three games.
This is one of those guys who is an All-Star without portfolio. He’s clearly among the elite — fantasy players will tell you that — and he’s an upgrade in pretty much every way over a pretty good player himself in Pat Burrell.
Fact is, Ibanez was hands-down the best free agent signing of the offseason, and he’s not disappointing one bit.
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
Hammer and Ian,
And some pitching this summer?
Watch out for Rangers
Yo, Adrian
From the first game, PETCO Park has been labeled a park without power and therefore the Padres have been labeled a team without power.
So how do you explain Adrian Gonzalez? Simple. He’s the best power hitter they’ve had for years, and a better overall hitter than probably any of those before him. He gets his homers — four of his MLB-leading 15 — when he can at home, but makes sure he does on the road.
With a homer Saturday, he’d have one in six consecutive games and tie a record held by Graig Nettles, which tells you how long it’s been — 25 years, since 1984, the World Series season being celebrated in San Diego this year.
Now, he can’t carry the Padres, but he sure can make them a lot more interesting, and dangerous. It’s already happening, but you can bank on more and more people talking about this guy as one of the underrated players in the game.
Power’s only part of his game — as mentioned, he’s deft with the bat, too, and he is a superb defensive first baseman. But he has enough power to overcome PETCO, and a swing that’s sweet enough to keep him going when the pop’s not quite there.
If there wasn’t some guy named Albert and another named Ryan entrenched there, he’d be a hands-down choice for the NL All-Star starter. As it is, he can pretty much make reservations for St. Louis.
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
Down the line, it’s fair,
Gardner digging, digging, go –
Inside-the-park job
Good boy, AL Central
A few weeks ago, the AL Central was officially adopted by The Grind. Got the papers and everything. Took it home, kept it warm, fed it right and doggone it if it’s not thriving and making us proud.
Good, AL Central. Good division.
Oh, they’re not going to lead the world in wins, beating up on each other the way they have. But with three teams — Tigers, Royals, Twins — tied for first and only 4 1/2 games separating top from bottom, this remains a division worth watching this season. Deserves a pat on the head, right now.
Even on an individual level, AL-C, as we’ve nicknamed the cute, little bugger, is shining. You’re looking at far and away the early favorite for the AL Cy Young award in Zack Greinke of the Royals, and you can check up and down the division and find fun players to watch, like Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera and Cleveland’s Grady Sizemore.
It’s all good in the AL Central. That handful of teams deserves a treat about now.
Yeah, attaboy. Good AL-C, good division.
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
Stealing and sliding,
Running wild on a spring day –
Speed thrills, Mr. Met
Stealin’ our hearts
Was there ever anything more sneaky fun in Little League? Or in softball? Or even kickball?
The pitcher gets the ball back on a lob from the catcher and turns to walk back to the rubber. You stroll a little bit off third base while the catcher still has the ball, “la-di-dah, just a little stroll,” he tosses it and — whammo! — you go for it, you run for home. And you’re safe. Of course. (Better be.)
Jayson Werth lived that one Tuesday night, the second steal of home we’ve seen this season. The first one was more athletic in a way because it’s like Jacoby Ellsbury was racing the pitch, more dangerous because of that and just wildly entertaining. This one was the more sneaky, still athletic because Werth is fast, make no mistake, but more of the element of surprise — and just wildly entertaining.
Gotta love the steal, period. Poor thing got all tromped on the last decade or so, but there was some logic behind it. Steals are great. Getting caught is not good for anyone, except the opposing team. And that’s been the issue with the stats wonks, and they were right. But now that efficiency is up, so are attempts. Everybody wins.
In a piece like this one from last week, one has to retain the journalistic standards of point of view — the reader’s not supposed to know what it is. Maybe this example isn’t the best, but it points out that the steal is coming back into vogue. Attempts are way up in the AL, albeit with a few staunch devotees leading the way, and that trend’s holding up. Hopefully it’s not evident, or at least blatantly so, that the writer just absolutely loves the stolen base.
Here at the Grind, it can go a little bit more like this: The steal is back, baby. Deal with it.
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
Z, for Zimmerman
Hits, hits all April and May –
Z, he’s got the goods
Evan almighty
The most pivotal player in the AL East didn’t just come back from hip surgery, and he’s not looking for his first homer. He didn’t win the MVP last year, and he’s not a gazillion-dollar free agent.
He’s 23, barely more than a year removed from his debut and he’s just crushing the ball, driving in runs at a record-smashing pace. He’s Evan Longoria of the Rays, and he did it again Saturday with five RBIs at Fenway.
There haven’t been too many hitters in memory, recent or otherwise, who have stepped into the Majors and hit like they’ve been doing it for a decade, like this kid. He is so far ahead of the curve, and he’s already making adjustments every time the scouting reports find a hole. Too good, too early.
He’s already got 20 RBIs in May (check your calendar) and shows no signs of slowing down. If Zack Greinke’s the way-too-early vote for AL Cy Young, this guy’s running away with MVP.
Sure, it really is way too early. But wow fits just right already.
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
Zack, one little one
Scoreboard had none in April –
What a royal run
Moving on, sort of
Remember when A-Rod had his press conference back in February and declared it was time to move on, move forward, like it was OK to flip the switch now and get on with our lives?
Remember how empty that felt? For a baseball fan with that sick feeling in your stomach, it’s not OK yet. Wasn’t then, and isn’t now. Might not be for a while.
It was that same kind of empty feeling when he hit that first pitch out Friday night. Maybe Yankees fans are that easy, and nowadays they probably should take what they can get, but it’s going to be a long time before many of the rest of us can watch A-Rod be spectacular like that, smile like that, enjoy the game we all love so much like that, without thinking of the damage he has done.
Not trying to say he should mope or change anything at all. It’s just a consequence. He should know that, and it’s understandable how he wants to build a wall for his “happy place” inside the lines. He’s getting paid exorbitantly, gets to do what he loves and has nine years left on his contract — yeah, he probably should be happy.
But now that he’s back between the lines, it’s not as though all is well and the otherworldly talent is just on display, clean and pristine. There are new glasses we’re seeing him through now, and the prescription isn’t going to improve overnight, if ever.
Good to have him back and all, but let’s hold off the parade, eh?
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
No, you don’t, Grady,
Granderson soars through spring air –
Snares like a Tiger
Uncle, Manny
The last word of the previous post is the first one of this post: Uncle.
Enough already. Not that anyone’s shocked or surprised anymore. Sickened, sure. Tired, definitely. But you can’t be surprised by anything.
Manny, Manny, Manny. Oh, Manny.
It’s just too hard to write about, really. Or think about. But you can’t ignore it. It won’t go away.
Aw, Manny. Dang.
It’s just another dark day, you know? Too many people going with righteous indignation (Ban him! Burn him at the stake! See what a flake he is!), and maybe that’s part of it — they’re sick of it, too. But what’s the point of that other than the catharsis of anger. He doesn’t need a hug (well, he probably does), but he doesn’t need to be dragged through the town square, either.
Sort of a strange reason/excuse/story, and hard not to miss the part about this HCG drug being used to come off steroids cycles, even if it might have uses for “personal health issues.” But he’s taking his punishment as set by the law of the game.
Thing about this is it’s not just innuendo, or even a professional journalist doing a profile of someone with anonymous sourcing. This is a suspension, agreed to by Ramirez and by extension the union without appeal. This is by far the biggest suspension yet.
Let’s hope it stays that way.
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
Waking up groggy,
Checking text on a May day –
What the- aw, Manny
Tipping point
Like or don’t like the book or the concept of the book, love or hate the subject or the author of the book, there is one truly unexpected twist coming out of the A-Rod book.
Pitch-tipping? Seriously?
As those not residing under a rock the last few days know, the allegation from Selena Roberts’ book is that Rodriguez had a conspiracy going with opposing middle infielders to get tipped on pitches in blowouts. A little advantage to keep the numbers up, a little quid pro quo, nobody except the guy’s ERA you just destroyed gets hurt, right?
Well, good luck proving that one, and what kind of messed-up concept is this anyway? And who says it really happened? (That last part is moot, based on the rampant anonymous sourcing of the book. But that’s a whole ‘nother subject.)
People who have been around the game for decades are shaking their heads at the thought. Never heard of it, say some. Couldn’t do it if we tried, say others. Does that stuff really mean it’s something that’s gone on behind the scenes that nobody talks about, so they’re circling the wagons? Doubtful.
The first reaction after wanting to give your sports conscience a nice soapy bath is it’d be hard to do, at least effectively. Even the best teammate tipping, which has been pretty common and if caught by the opposition usually warrants a fastball to the hip, can only do so much. The pitch is still coming fast, and the batter still has to hit it.
Then there’s the part that if somebody on his team did suspect something and didn’t wallop him, they’d be practically just as culpable. Practically.
But, hey, we’ve seen stranger things lately, and out of this guy, too. So who knows anymore? Really, uncle.
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
Royals can’t feel blue,
A giddy run into May –
Zack et al roll on
Midweek mumblings
- Not sure which is more surprising: That Rick Ankiel is out of the hospital so soon, or that that sort of thing doesn’t happen more often.
- Trying to figure out if the new stadium redo in KC makes a unique place look even better or a unique place look less unique, even if it’s better.
- And we thought when they said A-Rod was a good tipper, they meant . . . oh, never mind.
- There’s a word for people like Bobby Scales: Driven.
- Check the math here, but at this rate the Dodgers will go 81-0 at home.
- Oliver Perez, wow.
- Zack Greinke, wow some more.
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
A knock ev’ry game,
Steady, just like spring showers –
Zimmerman streaking
9-0 at 90090
Leave it to the Dodgers to have their own zip code. Next, their own area code, and then their own strike zone.
It’s not official until June, but Dodger Stadium will have its own zip code soon: 90090. And not to get all numerology on you, but they’re 9-0 at home right now, so there you go, all you odometer lovers out there.
What it all really adds up to is that we have our first runaway winner of … gasp, ’09. This is really getting freaky with the zeroes and the nines, man.
A walkoff win Saturday night over the Padres has the Dodgers tied for the most wins in ball with 17 and 4.5 games ahead of the Giants and the rest of the NL West, which isn’t expected to put up much of a fight this year anyway. It’s early and all, but the Dodgers look dreadlocks and shoulders above the rest there.
And it’s sure not just Manny. It’s Andre Ethier — have a start, young man. It’s Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton. It’s the young guys they kept, showing why they did.
Long way to go still, but chances seem good the NL West flag will get shipped to 90090 this year.
Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
Extras in Philly
East rivals spring, summer, fall –
It’s never boring
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