Month: February 2008

With Howard’s $10 mil, players batting .167

Fortunately for him, this was no practical joke.  Ryan Howard won his arbitration case against the Phillies.  The Phils offered Howard $7 million but in arbitration, he was awarded $10 million. 

The arbitrators were comparing Howard’s case to Miguel Cabrera’s from last year.  Cabrera hit the $7.4 million mark when he was with the Marlins.  Apparently, they felt they couldn’t go lower than that figure. 

Howard’s victory was the first arbitration win by a player in six tries so far this off-season. 

So now, Howard’s price got a lot steeper.  Is he worth it?  If there is one young slugger out there I would want to get for my MLB team, it would be Howard.  Yet, I’m sure the Phillies are also interested in locking some players up for the future not paying big bucks for a one-year contract only to go through this again. 

Soriano? Leadoff? Still?

Alfonso_Soriano According to Cubs beat writer Carrie Muskat,  Sweet Lou Piniella is mulling over a 3-4-5 combination of Fuk, Lee, and Aram.  Well, unless he plans to bat Soriano 6th, that probably means he means to continue the waste of power by batting Alfonso leadoff. 

Sure enough, later in article, Muskat seems to read my mind and confirms a lot of Cub fans’ fears.  She writes, “Alfonso Soriano would still lead off, followed by Ryan Theriot.” 

I used to justify Soriano batting leadoff saying that it was the only place he could produce offensively.  Which was true.  You could look it up.  But now, it’s getting frustrating and I’m wondering if it’s a self-imposed limitation.  On the last podcast, Todd V expressed the same sentiment saying that it’s a case of a player making a decision for the team. 

Don’t get me wrong.  I love Soriano.  I actually reeeeaaallly like him.  I love his attitude.  I like the fact that he shows up early to spring training.  I like that last year, when Felix Pie was new to the team and new to the town, he befriended him and and made him welcome to the point of inviting him to his house for dinner.  I like the fact that he’s made great strides in improving his defense so now we can even say, “Hey, he’s actually not bad out there!”.

But dang it, someone who hits 30+ homeruns should have more than 70 rbis.  It’s no surprise, that’s the lowest figure in the majors for players with 30 homers.  It’s not even close… Griffey is second with 93. 

And if he isn’t driving in runs, he should be scoring them.  Soriano didn’t break the century mark in 2007 with 97.  A good number to be sure but not warranting a power hitter hitting in the leadoff spot. 

Soriano historically has had issues with getting on base.  To his credit, he HAS improved but not that much.  Three years ago with Texas, he had a horrendous .309 OBP.  He’s improved to .351 and .337 respectively. 

But again, not enough and waste of power.

Lou Piniella has won more World Championships than I have and I’m sure he knows what he’s doing.  But his reluctance to move Soriano out of the leadoff spot still frustrates me.

2008 begins for Illinois on Friday night

Go Illinois!

 

     

Game #1

Friday, Feb. 22 3pm

Record: 0-0

vs Sam Houston State

at Edinburgh, TX

 

Tomorrow night, the University of Illinois begin their 2008 season.  They take on Sam Houston State in the first game of the Al Ogletree Classic Tournament in warm Edinburgh, Texas.

Word from the clubhouse is that the guys are ready to play and that they are “excited to get outside and see a different-colored jersey”.  After an off-season of playing each other in scrimmages, I don’t doubt it. 

Game One will see Scott Shaw on the mound for the Illini.  Shaw was 5-5 with 6.42 ERA last year but showed some real stuff when he was on his game. 

Sam Houston will be coming into the game with the same record as the Illini, 0-0.  Here is their rundown. 

Opponent: Sam Houston State
Nickname: Bearkats
Conference: Southland Conference
Location: Huntsville, Texas
Current Record: 0-0
Baseball Program website: Link
Players to watch: Bobby Verbick, Jacob Howard, Keith Stein
Comments: Verbick, Howard and Stein have all been named to the Brooks Wallace Watch list.  Sam Houston is the only team in the state that has three players on the list.  Considering the state is Texas, that says a lot. 

 

No doubt, they look tough.   But it bears repeating that this year no team gets a head start and that helps the northern teams. 

For those of you wanting to follow the game, go to the Fighting Illini web site and you can follow along with Gametracker.  Gametracker had gone through some major enhancements last year and it’s very nice. 

Good luck to the Illini!!

FightingIllini.com preview of the Al Ogletree Classic

On This Date… women in baseball

Sixty-five years ago today on February 20, 1943, Phil Wrigley and Branch Rickey chartered the All-American Girls Softball League.  The purpose was to generate interest in the sport in case our government closed down major league baseball. 

The AAGSL eventually switched to hardball and became the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.  The pitching distance was 40 feet and bases were 68 feet apart.

Illini Diamond Notes start up again

For those who enjoy reading what’s going on with the Illinois baseball team from an inside point of view, you will be happy to know that the Illini Diamond Notes are beginning again. 

This week, Diamond Notes#1 is written by team manager Michael Schroeder who gives an update on Illinois’ preparations for their first series of 2008 this weekend. 

Go Illini!

Moskos: Future of the Bucs pitching?

During our last podcast, Todd and I talked a bit about Daniel Moskos, the Pirates’ 2007 first round draft pick.  Today, mlb.com has a feature story about Moskos, a reliever turned starter.

Interestingly, Moskos is the only member of the 2007 Draft who part of the Major League portion of Spring Training. 

“I’m just trying to fit in,” said Moskos, the Pirates’ top pick in last season’s First-Year Player Draft. “I don’t want to be that young guy that’s just nagging people. I don’t necessarily have to ask them about pitching or anything. It’s just being one of them.”

Prior "on track" for a comeback?

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

In the first week of spring training, word has it this will be Mark Prior’s year.  He is “free of pain” in his workout according to the NY Times.  He is “pain-free” according to SI. 

The Canadian Press goes as far as to say that Prior is “on track for a comeback”.

Well, the expectations have been set.  But as a Cub fan, I’ve been through this before. 

If the Padres were smart, they would steer the press away from Mark Prior.  When one workout without pain makes the headlines, it only adds to the pressure.  And while baseball players should be able to focus and get that out their head, I get the idea that this kind of thing really affects Prior. 

But hey, he’s not our problem anymore. 

Phillies Phool Kendrick in Pre-season hoax

kendrick Second season pitcher Kyle Kendrick was the victim of an elaborate practical joke by his Phillie teammates.  The crux of the joke was that he was being traded to Japan for a “Kobayashi Iwamura”. 

Kobayashi is a reference to Takeru Kobayashi who long held the record for hot dog eating.

Teammate Brett Myers was the mastermind behind the whole thing but he help from other Phillies teammates, manager Charlie Manuel, and even Kendrick’s agent and sports reporters.  

Not only was the whole thing carefully planned, it was even videotaped unbeknownst to Kendrick. 

The You Tube video is a must see for a good laugh.  Some of the media who were obviously in on it weren’t doing a good job keeping it a secret as they had their notepads up to their mouths to conceal their laughing.

Baseball Zealot Radio #39: It’s Spring Training!

After some interviews on Baseball Zealot Radio the past few weeks, regular Todd and I finally get a chance to chat. As always, I’m treated to a bittersweet update of his team, the Pirates. I don’t give him too much crap about his team though… if I do, he’ll ask me which team actually won a World Championship (more than one, actually) in our lifetime.

In episode 39, we cover the latest in baseball news in light of the first week of spring training.

Enjoy!

Time: 45:10

Date Recorded: 2/17/08

Download Episode 39 Listen to the show via iTunes!
Listen to other Baseball Zealot Radio episodes BZR Podcast Feed

Legends Field renamed for the Boss

legendsfield Commercial naming rights, begone.  Nope, the New York Yankees have announced that they are renaming Legends Field, which has been the the Yanks’ spring training home for 30 years, George M. Steinbrenner Field. 

As much as he could be, the billionaire and principal owner of the New York Yankees was humbled by the action:

“I am humbled and flattered to have this outstanding and totally unexpected honor conferred on me,” George Steinbrenner said in a statement. “I extend my thanks to the Tampa City Council and to the Hillsborough County Commissioners for passing resolutions suggesting and recommending the change.”

The newly renamed facility is located in Tampa, Florida.

(photo: Baseball Parks of the Minor Leagues)