Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Why the Tradition Sticks

If you’ve every attended a baseball game you are conscious of the 7th singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame. It doesn’t matter if you’re at Ebbets Field in 1913, Dodger Stadium in 2010 or anywhere, anywhen in between. In fact, it’s so familiar, so ubiquitous I hadn’t even really stopped to think about it until recently. Don’t worry; this post isn’t a boring history of the song, rather some peculiar facets that should, minimally, be acknowledged.

First of all, the song has the eerie ability make everyone participate. You know when you’re at a show and people start clapping in unison? Next time, look around you. You’ll surely find dozens of people refusing to join, awkwardly hugging their hands underneath their armpits. Remember last time you sang Happy Birthday to someone? Did everyone in the room really sing? Probably not. Usually your embarrassed uncle or hormonal cousin (or maybe even you) put their heads down and murmured a few words.

With this in mind, look around you next time the organ starts in the middle of the 7th. See the little kids? The old couple? The reluctant girlfriend? The guy dressed like a rapper? The yuppy on his phone? Your cool friend? Everyone is singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game—even the embarrassed uncle and the hormonal cousin. Why is this? Why are we so reluctant to participate in PDS (Public Displays of Singing) but we make an exception for Take Me Out to the Ball Game? Maybe it’s written in a sing-able key. Maybe we take comfort in our words being lost in a sea of thousands of other voices. Maybe we appreciate the lyrics more than Happy Birthday.

I have a friend who hates standing, singing and participating. But when the away team runs out to the field in the bottom of the 7th, he springs up and sings with everyone else. It’s not like he relishes in the moment or belts out the lyrics. It’s much more mechanical—like a chore, like taking out the trash he is thorough and quick. Holding the garbage bag an arms length away and fluidly swinging it into the dumpster. He annunciates, tries to sing in key and even discretely puts his hand in the air and counts off “1! 2! 3 strikes your out…” When I ask my friend why do we all sing this song, his answer is simple but may hold the key to this phenomenon: To appease the baseball gods.

This could be the sentiment that most baseball fans share. The tradition is too old to be disrespected. Take Me Out to the Ball Game has always been there. Mantle, Ruth, Williams, Clemente and all the other great players in the last 90 years heard this song every summer evening. It has been drowsily recited in late-august blowouts and nervously sung in chilly, September playoff series. Remember your first big league game? The first one you took your son or daughter to? That minor league game you took your first girlfriend to? I’m willing to bet that all of those good memories have at least one thing in common: Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

In fact so many people have sung it so often, only Happy Birthday can rival the frequency of the song. With an average of 31,000 fans at a game, played in 15 cities a night, 162 times a year, this vaudeville tune is sung by at least 73 million people a year. And that figure doesn’t even count the thousands of minor league, American legion, amateur and little league games that take place almost every night or the ecstatic kid waiting in the ticket line excitedly reciting the words over and over.

So, in conclusion, the lyrics may be a little lame and the tune may be passé but who the hell are you to sit in your chair and skip it. Get up and belt it out and revel in the history of baseball. Feel connected by another common thread that unites us with our fancestors. Whether you want to or not, stand up and sing the damn song and, most importantly, appease the baseball gods, they’re good gods to have.

Week in Review: 2/28/11

What has happened to Rick ‘The Wild Thing’ Vaughn? I mean, he’s off the deep end like Greg Louganis, and has no intentions of getting out of the pool anytime soon. His father has tried reaching out to him, and that hasn’t worked. I’m sure his brother Emilio has tried giving him the ol’ Gordon Bombay pep talk, but clear, Charlie Sheen is more Hawk than Mighty Duck. Who can save this once promising talent? Who can turn Charlie Sheen into the person we all thought he could be?

Well, Lenny Dykstra, of course.

It was announced this week that Lenny Dykstra has been tapped to train Sheen in preparation for the latest installment of the Major League franchise. A match made in heaven? I think so! Even though the film isn’t official yet, Sheen wants to be back in baseball shape. Hell, if Dykstra can get Sheen’s coked-up excuse for a body into decent playing shape, then maybe he’s the last chance Charlie has at a return to normalcy. And let’s face it, we need Dykstra to be at his very best, because we just inexplicably walked the bases loaded for Parkman, and he’s looking pissed up there.

On to the news.

Winner Of The Week: Teams in the NL Central that aren’t the Cardinals

This is huge. Without question, this was the biggest event of spring training thus far. With one ill-fated bullpen session, the Cardinals limp into the regular season with no swagger, too many questions, and too many goals to accomplish. Losing Adam Wainwright allows the rest of the division to hold a larger bit of hope against the Cards in any series this year: sure, we’ve got to pitch to Pujols, but without Wainwright on the hill, we can out-slug these guys. The pitching in this division got stronger in the offseason, with the humungous addition of Zack Greinke in Milwaukee, and the Reds starters all healing well. Computer projections have the Cardinals’ playoff chances shrinking from a shade under a coin flip, to right around 25 percent. They’re projected win total shrinks by 6 games. Their average team height shrinks by two inches. Mass hysteria! If Wainwright’s injury does pan out like most are thinking it will, what does this mean for the most anticipated free agent decision in the last decade of baseball? Does he feel driven to return to a Cardinals team that’s at full strength next season, eager to prove his team’s worth? Or does a season that’s beginning to look disappointing act as the fire at his backside, pushing him out of town without looking back? The rest of the NL Central is hoping this is just phase 1 of the Pujols To The AL dream held by all of the squads.

Loser Of The Week: Theo Epstein

Really, Theo? You STALKED and FOLLOWED Carl Crawford for a period of time, and then decided it would be a tremendous idea to admit that to the world? This is the story line of an episode of Law And Order: SVU, not the process to sign a major league talent. In case you missed it, in a recent radio interview, Epstein admitted to putting a scout on Carl Crawford for the last three or four months of last season, both at the ballpark and away from the ballpark. According to Epstein, this is common practice. That’s funny, considering how terrified Boston’s new $142 million man was. Crawford said, “I didn’t say nothing, but I’m from an area where if somebody’s doing that to you, they’re not doing anything good.” That a boy, Theo. Way to take your new superstar back to a time in his life where he feared for his safety. Who’s going to be jumping at the chance to head to Boston now, knowing that in order to play at Fenway, you’re going to have Matt Dillon from There’s Something About Mary looking over your shoulder?

Let’s Turn Two

While I love the Reds, and like Edison Volquez, I think it’s an absolutely terrible decision to start him on opening day. Dusty Baker says the guy can’t be rattled by anything, and that’s why he’s putting the ball in his hand. Really, Dusty? Did you watch the playoffs last year? Judging from our performance, there’s a 90 percent chance, the answer to that question is ‘no.’ Volquez is coming off of Tommy John surgery, and while recent results from Tommy John victims have been good, he’s still a total question mark. Secondly, how can you not give the start to Bronson Arroyo, who’s been the most consistent starter the Reds have had in years? Arroyo is never going to give you a fancy, high-impact game. He’s going to allow fly balls like a BP pitcher at times, and his fastball might look like a slow-motion replay in the later innings, but the guy eats innings, and finds a way to battle. That’s the guy I want on the mound – a guy who just knows how to win. And if that wasn’t enough, let’s remember Volquez’s contract situation. Eddy gambled on a contract this year, signing a one year deal with the Redlegs, hoping he has a bright enough year to warrant big bucks next year. If you’re the Reds, is it smart to put your young stud on the brightest stage, when you clearly can’t afford another big contract on your microscopic payroll? I don’t think so. Arroyo’s the guy who should be setting an example for the several young arms on this staff. Make him your guy.

Balls and Strikes

-Hey, there’s someone in White Sox management that I agree with! White Sox GM Ken Williams recently went off on the reported $30 million per year Pujols might get, saying no player is worth that much. While I completely agree with Williams, I’d counter that Ozzie Guillen isn’t worth 1/8th of what you’re paying him. Call it a wash, Ken?

-The funniest part of spring training? All of the miniscule, ridiculous injuries that are keeping players out of action. Don’t get me wrong, it makes perfect sense. No reason to blow the playoffs in spring training. But when you see headlines like, “Cards’ Berkman fighting through arm soreness,” you know it’s the preseason. Could you imagine if Cal Ripken Jr. had sat out a game because of arm soreness? No you can’t, because Ripken would have cut his arm off if it was bothering him, and found a way to play the game one-armed. But let’s give Berkman some time so his boo-boo can heal.

-R.I.P. to The Duke Of Flatbush. Baseball lost a class act, one of the better names in the history of the game, and one hell of a ball player this week.

-Miguel Cabrera began spring training as the DH for the Tigers. Hilarious, to be honest, that it took a drunk driving arrest for Miguel to inhabit a role with the word ‘designated’ in the title.

Bottom of the Ninth

With Wainwright going down for the year, we’re reminded that Spring Training is not just a buffer period between the pre-season and regular season. Will we see any other crazy developments this week? Who will Theo Epstein stalk next? Oh, the excitement!

Until next week, let the thought of Rube Baker’s speech to Wild Thing put a smile on your face. So long, folks.

Classic Baseball Video Games

As February comes to a close, we are reminded of the many reasons why this month is the shittiest month of all. Between the bitter, cold weather, our nation’s curious veneration of clairvoyant rodents, and the lack of relevant sporting events following the football game that my team is never invited to, I fail to see much use for the month of February as it currently exists. If there’s one thing I like about February, it’s that it usually only has 28 days for whatever reason. Once it ends, we can move on to bigger and better things, like losing to the office receptionist in a tournament pool or embracing Ireland’s struggle with alcoholism. For now, we have to drudge through the metaphorical mud that is February. And with baseball still over a month away, it can be difficult to spark a renewed devotion to the game we all know and love. So I ask, what better way to spend the last few days of this miserable month than by catching up on some baseball classics? I’m not talking about hooking up your VCR and watching Ed; I mean busting out the Super Nintendo (see: emulator) and letting loose on some old school video games. Sure, baseball games have always had a hard time appealing to fans, often resorting to gimmicks such as the option to physically assault your opponent’s first baseman, or stealing players’ coins and ignoring the rules of baseball altogether. But over the years there have been a few titles that have, if nothing else, entertained baseball fans and video game enthusiasts alike. Here are a few of my favorites:

Baseball Stars 2 (NES/Neo-Geo)
Nintendo fans are surely familiar with Baseball Stars, which started out as an arcade game and was eventually ported to the NES. What many fans missed out on, presumably in the wake of the release of the Super Nintendo, was the incredibly addictive sequel released in 1992. Baseball Stars 2 is better than its predecessor in just about every way. While it lacks an MLB player/team license (I usually play as the Japan Samarais), it does feature seizure-inducing graphics that have abused my brain for well over a decade now. Fast-paced, colorful, and flat out fun, this game will surely remain in my library for years to come. Or you know, until I have a family or any other adult responsibilities.

World Series Baseball (Sega Genesis)
Every morning before stupid school started, my friend and I used to sit around in his basement playing this gem, and truthfully I haven’t played it since. In retrospect, it wasn’t the best simulation out there. It was pretty easy to master hitting, especially in home run derby mode. In fact, I once recall my friend launching 600-foot home runs with Terry Pendleton until the game reached a kill screen. But hey, the graphics were totally advanced compared to other titles at the time, and it was pretty sweet to hear the announcer read off players’ names in a mangled, 16-bit voice.

All Star Baseball 2000 (N64)
Here we have quite the revolutionary title in terms of graphics and gameplay. This game also had a handful of glitches that were so ridiculous, you couldn’t help but laugh even when they prematurely ended your game. Some of the most comical bugs included base runners rounding first on infield hits and the game suddenly freezing whenever a knuckleballer took the mound in the fifth inning (I’m not making this stuff up). Despite these annoyances, All Star Baseball 2k remains memorable for its strikingly realistic appearance (considering its platform) and its easy accessibility. Well, that and Michael Kay’s “color commentary,” which consists of approximately 20 inane observations that were seemingly activated at random (“That’s the pitcher telling the batter that the inside part of the plate belongs to him!”). And why did John Sterling refer to Gerald Williams as “Ice” Williams? Come to think of it, this was a rather silly game.

Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball (SNES)

Junior Griffey was quite possibly the most likable player of his generation, so it follows that he would sponsor the most likable baseball game of the 90’s. Granted, the game is hardly realistic; catchers are twice as fast as base runners, pitchers can put impossible spin on their pitches, and Audrey Hepburn bats cleanup for the Indians (better than Matt LaPorta, am I right??). But these goofy qualities are what make the game so great. Similar to Baseball Stars 2, it is fairly simple but extremely fast-paced. A nine inning game can be completed in fifteen minutes, making it the quintessential baseball game for the ADD generation.

Well there you have it. Two games that feature made-up players, one game that kind of sucks, and another that’s fun but crashes fairly often. Rest assured, a handful of decent baseball games do currently exist on more modern platforms (Baseball Mogul 2011 and MLB 2k11 are due to be released in March). But if you’re cheap, lazy, or just plain old nostalgic, I suggest evoking your inner 90’s kid and firing up some of these classics.

Significance of Wainwright Injury

Cardinals Starter Adam Wainwright is having elbow issues, and the team has flown him back to St. Louis to get the situation checked out. Initial reports from the staff are not good, and it appears the Ace could be headed toward Tommy John Surgery. These kinds of injuries happen to somebody every year, but the impact of losing a Cy Young candidate will be devastating for the Cards.

The NL Central already figures to be tough as St. Louis will be challenged by three capable teams: the defending champion Reds, the much improved Brewers, and a Cubs team hoping to get bounce-back years from Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena. While the Cardinals originally fit in nicely with that pack, it’s going to take a lot of work to replace their best pitcher.

Wainwright figured to slot in as the No. 1 starter on the team after finishing last season third in the NL Cy Young voting and posting a WAR of 6.1. Instead, his injury will force the likes of Jake Westbrook and Kyle Lohse to move up in the rotation. To replace him, the Cards will likely target Free Agents Kevin Millwood or Jeremy Bonderman. They’re also likely to be in contact with teams who have a surplus of pitching (Blanton from the Phillies? Kawakami from the Braves?), but no matter who they trade, they won’t be able to replace one of the best pitchers in the game.

Make no mistake, this injury greatly diminishes the team’s chances of making the playoffs. Sure they have two of the best hitters in the league (Pujols, Holliday) and a talented CFer (Rasmus), but after those three, their lineup drops off dramatically. When you take away the team’s best pitcher, I see the Cardinals finishing 4th in the NL Central. Good luck convincing Pujols to stick around after a season like that. Hold on Cards fans, things aren’t looking pretty.

Top 10 First Basemen in MLB

Last week we took at look at the Top 10 Catchers in Baseball, so today it’s only natural to move on to 1B. Some younger guys are climbing the list, while many familiar names remain. While Billy Butler likely belongs somewhere on here, Kansas City’s recent decision to move him to full-time DH makes him ineligible. So here they are, the Top Ten 1B for 2011:

1. Albert Pujols, STL – The best player of his generation, Pujols will be at the top of this list for some time. The three-time MVP has posted an OPS over 1.000 in all but two of his ten seasons in the majors.

2. Joey Votto, CIN – Highly regarded in his first two full seasons, Votto exploded in 2010 and won the NL MVP. The slugger lead the league in OBP, SLUG and OPS+.

3. Miguel Cabrera, DET – Considered by many to be the second best right-handed hitter in baseball, Cabrera narrowly missed his first MVP last season. After a relapse in his continuing struggle with alcohol, it will be interesting to see what kind of numbers he can post in 2011.

4. Adrian Gonzalez, BOS – Gonzalez was able to average over 100 RBIs over the last four seasons while playing for a poor offensive team in San Diego. Now that he’s surrounded by talented hitters in Boston, there’s no telling what his production will look like. Just 28, the California native’s best years are ahead of him.

5. Mark Teixeira, NYY – Though he always seems to start slow, Tex’s numbers end up with the best in the league year in and year out. In addition, he’s one of the best defenders and smartest baserunners at his position.

6. Prince Fielder, MIL – Perhaps a slightly better hitter than Teixeira, Fielder’s weight causes issues with his fielding and mobility. Teams are willing to look past that, when you’re capable of clubbing over 50 HRs in a season, like the soon-to-be free agent Fielder is.

7. Justin Morneau, MIN – It could be argued that the Twins slugger belongs above Fielder on this list, but Morneau is older, and his recent concussion issues are a major concern. Still, his OPS+ of 184 in 2010′s first half was incredible.

8. Ryan Howard, PHI – This Phillies slugger has seen his offensive production regress slightly in the past couple seasons, but he’s still a constant threat at the plate, leading the league in RBIs in both 2008 and 2009.

9. Paul Konerko, CHW – After underperforming slightly from 2007-2009, Konerko had a masterful 2010, putting up a .977 OPS while clubbing 39 HRs. The White Sox took notice and signed him for three more years.

10. Kendry Morales – Assuming he’s able to bounce back from his humiliating 2010 injury caused by a team celebration, Morales belongs on this list. The 27-year-old plays solid defense, and in a full season at the position in 2009, Morales hit 34 HRs to accompany an OPS+ of 139.

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Season in Review: Toronto Blue Jays

Pre-Season Prediction: 4th in AL East

Regular Season Outcome: 4th in AL East

Summary

Baseball fans and writers had low expectations for the Blue Jays in 2010. The team was competing in the toughest division in the league and had just sent one of the best players in franchise history – Roy Halladay, M.D. – to the Phillies. But, while the Blue Jays finished in 4th place and out of contention in the division, they did manage to put together a respectable 85-77 season, a mark that would have been good enough for second in the AL West and third in the AL Central even before accounting for the Jays’ more difficult schedule. As Nike taught us, chicks and Canucks dig the longball, and the Blue Jays gave the people what they wanted. The team led the league in HRs (beating the Red Sox by 40 bombs), slugging percentage, and team ISO, while finishing in the bottom 5 in OBP. Unlikely high power seasons from free agent leftovers like Alex Gonazlez and John Buck, a recovery for Vernon Wells, and an impressive campaign from the team’s quartet of young starters led to a very successful season in Toronto that gave reason to hope for the future.

High Point

The fascinating poster boy for the Toronto power binge was, of course, combination OF/3B Jose Bautista. Bautista was a fringey utility player who Toronto got from Pittsburgh in 2008. In his first four full seasons in MLB, Bautista had hit for, respectively, 16, 15, 15, and 13 HR. In 2010, he hit 54 – leading all of baseball – along with 124 RBIs, a .378 OBP, and an eye-popping .617 SLG. While the debate rages over whether or not Bautista’s season was a fluke, the Blue Jays seem to be believers, signing Bautista to a 5 year, $64 million contract. While expecting another 50+ HR season might be unreasonable, there’s plenty of reason to think that most of Bautista’s power will carry over. Even though he is unlikely to stay at 3B for defensive reasons, he is still a great find and a key player for the Blue Jays’ future.

Low Point

That being said, 2010 also gave the Blue Jays a couple harrowing examples of when a good year can be a fluke. In 2009, 2B Aaron Hill and DH Adam Lind combined for over 71 HRs and 220 RBI, but in 2010 the bottom dropped out. Hill hit for a pathetic .205 AVG and .271 OBP, which was not nearly enough to make up for his 26 HR and Lind didn’t fare much better, putting up a .237/.287/.425 line with only 23 HR. As a DH, Lind was below replacement level while Hill was below league average at 2B, as the HR were simply not enough to make up for their poor on-base skills. Hill can point to a comically low .196 BABIP, which was nearly 100 points below his career average. Unlike pitchers, hitters have a degree of control over their BABIP, but luck still plays a part and Hill’s is due for a change in 2011. A bounceback is still possible for Lind, but he’ll have to lower his over 25% K rate or raise his below 7% BB rate.

Ongoing Prognosis

Perhaps the best news for the Blue Jays isn’t who will be coming back in 2011 but who won’t be. GM Alex Anthropolos pulled off the move of the winter by getting the Los Angeles Angels to agree to take on Vernon Wells’ entire contract. The albatross of a deal still had 4 years and $86 million remaining and seemed like a major impediment in the Jays’ future plans. With Wells off-the-books, the Jays were able to sign Bautista long-term and still have so little in future commitments that they can be major players in the Albert Pujols derby next season if Pujols doesn’t resign with the Cardinals. With Kyle Drabek (the main component of the Halladay trade) poised to join the young rotation this season and plenty of talent in the minors, the Blue Jays look to be poised to become competitive very soon. This season may be a lost cause, but if things break right, the Blue Jays could be challenging the big boys in a couple of years.

Week in Review: 2/21/11

So the Albert Pujols contract talks literally killed one of the owners of the Cardinals. Incredible.

Is this Days Of Our Lives, and no one told us? This is precisely like one of those absurd, constantly-twisting storylines we find out network TV in the middle of the day.

This week on Busch Stadium Blues, Albert returns from his winter trip, but Matt finds pictures of Albert and Alfonso Soriano together on Facebook. Didn’t Albert tell his friends he was going on a journey of self discovery?

And what happened to Cardinals owner Andrew Bauer? Did his strained relationship with Albert finally get the best of him? Or did Lance Berkman eat him whole?

The pressure of the most publicized contract negotiations in America’s past time have put a strain on the team, even causing youngster Colby Rasmus to turn to his old friend, huffing compressed air canisters.

And Cardinals legend Jim Edmonds announces his retirement, grief stricken at the loss of long time friend Bauer. Does anyone give a crap at all?

These questions all get answered this week, on Busch Stadium Blues.

On to the news.

Winner of the Week: Albert Pujols

Loser of the Week: The St. Louis Cardinals

The headlining story leading into the beginning of Spring Training got about as much coverage as the past few major elections in this country. Pujols Watch was in full effect on Wednesday morning, as we waited on pins and needles to see if the Cards could hammer out a deal with the game’s greatest talent. How’d it turn out? Exactly like it should have.

Pujols would have been absolutely insane to accept a deal at this point. I know, the security is nice. And yes, he was being offered more money per game than I’ll make in 10 years of honest employment. But, his resume speaks for itself. Even if he has a mediocre season by Pujols standards, he’s going to make ridiculous money from the Cards. They can’t afford to annex fans and not offer him a contract. If he has another monster year, he’ll be fielding monster offers from the Cubs, Angels, Rangers, Nationals, and other teams, which will put mega pressure on the Cards to match. That’s a dream scenario for any big leaguer. Pujols wants to keep his options open, and why wouldn’t he?

The Cards, on the other hand, have a ridiculously tough season ahead of them. The division got a whole lot more competitive in this offseason. The Reds kept all their pieces, and the Brewers and Cubs both made upgrades. In my eyes, it’ll be the closest race this season. As soon as the season ends, they’ll feel the most pressure they’ve felt in six decades to keep a player in town, knowing it’s going to cost them the operating costs of most countries to do so. In addition, the media coverage of Pujols will he/won’t he back-and-forth will be in full force as the season closes. Big Al can say whatever he wants, but this situation is absolutely going to be a distraction for the Redbirds. Does Pujols honestly think that because he’s said he’s not discussing the contract during the season that the media is just going to stop asking him questions about his future? Does he even know what the media is? The Cardinals will be playing a ridiculously tough schedule under tremendous media scrutiny, which is a recipe for a mediocre season. This is bound to be a long year for Pujols’ gang.

Balls and Strikes

-Fact: Miguel Cabrera makes good decisions.

-Robinson Cano reported late to Yankees camp this week due to a mix up in what date he thought he had to report. What, did Mom forget to laminate his schedule and put it up on the family corkboard? Did someone remember to pack his lunch for him when he actually did leave for camp? Could have sworn Robinson Cano was over the age of 15 before this.

-Michael Young met with his Rangers teammates this week, to give them the ol’ Costanza “It’s not you, it’s me” speech. I’m sure that went well, just like it always did for George.

-The Cubs ownership team stated this week that they hadn’t ruled out making an offer to Pujols in the offseason. In other news, Elton John is a homosexual.

-News out of Chicago is that Adam Dunn is working on making the transition to a full time DH for the ChiSox. Word is he’s doing this by playing blackjack 14 hours a day, eating baby back ribs at every meal, and working on his defense the same amount he always has (hint: not at all).

-The Rangers assured everyone interested this week that they were not going to rush Brandon Webb onto the mound this season. Smart business move there: after losing one of baseball’s three most dominant pitchers in the offseason, you replace him with a guy that’s going to have to take his time getting back on the hill. High risk, high reward I suppose. This could be the defining storyline of the AL West.

-Anyone else find it absolutely hilarious the owners of the Cubs share a last name with a disease that plagues children? There’s an insurance agent in town where I live named Dick Burns. He has a large, backlit sign right by a busy street in town. I think the same thing about him that I do about the Ricketts: why put your name on something that elicits such easy jokes? The Cubs have been cursed for roughly a century, and now they’re literally being run by a disease. I’ve accepted the limitations of my last name. I’m not going to go endorsing a deodorant brand any time soon.

Bottom of the Ninth

This week, we’ll look at some evolving story lines out of Spring Training. Who’s healthy? Who looks much improved? What rookies are going to make an impact? Does Don Mattingly deserve to coach any team in baseball if he’s not sporting his legendary mustache?

Until next time, let the thought of Sammy Sosa’s corked bat put a smile on your face.

So long folks.

Make Albert as Fat as He Wants

The St. Louis Cardinals go Busch league in their negotiations with Albert Pujols.

Just as InBev came in and bought the pride and joy of St. Louis beer, the Cardinals front office has made a colossal blunder in opening the door to the possibility of another foreign power coming in and buying their baseball jewel. The biggest difference is that if this jewel leaves, they won’t get to still enjoy it on their supermarket shelves. The Cardinals have to do everything they can to make sure Albert Pujols retires as the greatest Cardinal of all time.

I am amazed that they are allowing themselves to get hung up on the possibility of paying Pujols the $30 million a year that he is worth a few years beyond his prime, which is also not necessarily a guaranteed thing; remember that Musial guy? The one that hit .330 when he was 42? He was alright. We are talking about the only player in the history of the majors to open his career with ten straight seasons with at least 30 homeruns, 100 RBIs, and batting above .300, way, way above .300. These are numbers that are unprecedented, and there is no indication that Pujols is going to slow up any time soon. Fifth-most homeruns of his career, OBP above .400, and slugging that dipped just below .600, and these are the type of things he has been doing his entire career. Not part of it, or some ridiculous stretch of seasons where he managed to trick everyone into thinking he was the real deal, but ten consecutive seasons of MVP-type numbers. Throw in one World Series win and a second appearance and you might already be looking at a Hall of Fame career. At 32. Again: Musial, .330, 42.

His impact for the game goes way beyond his raw numbers and statistics. Despite not being the biggest of baseball markets, Cardinals fans love their Cardinals. Love them. To the point that fans were tempted to throw Pujols in at quarterback before Bradford became the Pujols-equivalent for the football team; which, by the way, is an interesting thing to consider – the Rams are already ready to sign Bradford up for life, and he has had one successful season for them. How can the Cardinals consider letting Pujols go after ten outrageous years? I understand the hesitance to be paying someone that kind of money into their 40’s, but it goes way beyond his numbers and the possibility of decline. You have to think what he means for the city of St. Louis and the fans of the Cardinals. Think about the all-time greats that finished their careers with a team other than the one they had become legendary with: Jerry Rice, Michael Jordan, and Brett Favre, just to name a few. Each one of those legendary athletes finished their career with a whimper, merely a shadow of the great player they had been in their prime and without the support of their fans; they even managed to burn some bridges in their quest to keep playing. The opportunity to keep Pujols with the same team for his whole career, forever cemented in the lore of the baseball team that he made his legacy with, is something that needs to outweigh the concern of financial obligations in the future.

If a fan is afraid of committing that sort of money to Pujols, the player that has made their team relevant year-in and year-out and will continue to do so for many more, there is no reason to think that they are a true fan. Players like Tim Duncan, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady are not going to finish their careers with anyone else, and they will be remembered as legends in their positions for that team, and that team only. Someone like Favre would probably send vulgar texts to a woman that is not his wife to rebuild the stardom and popularity he had with Packers fans during his time there, rather than the sort of lone-wolf status he has been diminished too. Roger Clemens would give tainted needles to all of his best friends, not just one, to go back to a time where he wasn’t a pariah in the baseball world. The Cardinals needs to do what is right and provide Pujols with the opportunity to be the right kind of legend, even if it means making him the fattest Albert that has ever played the game.

Top 10 Catchers in MLB

This is a different list than you would have seen last year. Jorge Posada, one of the best Catchers in the game was recently converted to full-time DH by the Yankees. There have also been a few highly talented young players that have worked their way into the rankings this year. Headed into the 2011 season, the Top Ten Catchers in the majors are as follows:

1. Joe Mauer, MIN – He’s been one of the best in the game since he entered the league in 2004. Only two Catchers have won the MVP award in the last 33 years, but Mauer did it in 2009, thanks in part to his league leading OPS+ of 170.

2. Brian McCann, ATL – Drastically overlooked by many fans and analysts, McCann is already a five-time All-Star at just age 26. McCann displays a good deal of power that contributes to his career .849 OPS

3. Victor Martinez, DET – Though he has regressed a bit in the last couple years, Martinez is still extremely valuable and will play a big part for his new club, the Tigers, this season. However, expect him to be off this list in the next couple years, as he continues his shift to a role as 1B/DH.

4. Buster Posey, SFG – If Posey, 2010′s NL Rookie-of-the-Year, puts up a full season similar to what he did last year, he’ll fly up to number two on this list. This youngster has a ton of talent, and was a major reason the Giants won the World Series in the fall.

5. Carlos Ruiz, PHI – Though he’s often overshadowed by lineup-mates Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and the since-departed Jayson Werth, Ruiz is a major factor for the Phillies’ successful offense. Though he doesn’t hit for much power, his ability to reach base coupled with his great defense put him high on our list.

6. Geovanny Soto, CHC – This 2008 NL Rookie-of-the-Year would receive more praise if he could simply stay healthy. When he’s able to take the field he’s exceptional, as evidenced by his .393 OBP in 387 plate appearances last season.

7. Carlos Santana, CLE – Before his season ended early due to a devastating knee injury, this youngster proved his future is bright. Like Posey, he’ll find himself quickly climbing the list if he’s able to duplicate what he offered in 2010.

8. Yadier Molina, STL – Not known for his offense (he’s still a capable hitter), Molina is instead on this list for being the best defender at an important and difficult position.

9. Mike Napoli, TEX – He’ll be splitting time between Catcher, 1B and DH with his new club, where he figures to accumulate 500 AB’s. The opposite of Molina, Napoli is considered a weak defender who can flat out crush the ball (66 HRs in the last three years).

10. Matt Wieters, BAL – Wieters is ranked here for two reasons. One: the league’s lack of Catching depth, and two: his huge potential. Scouts continue to predict he’ll break out, and if he does, he’ll be one of the best at the position.

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The Importance of a Pitcher’s W/L Record

If you knew who Ross Ohlendorf was before this week you are an avid, thorough baseball follower or one of Pittsburgh’s 352 fans. For those who don’t know he’s a below average big-league pitcher. His career numbers are respectable but underwhelming—he sports a 4.40 ERA, a 1.39 whip with 13 wins and 25 losses. Last year he went 1-11 with a 4.07 ERA.

Earlier this offseason, the Pirates offered their starting pitcher $1.4 million contract for the 2011 season when the arbitration meetings began. Ohlendorf declined that offer and filed for a $2.025 million salary, a substantial raise. This week Ross won his case and will make almost $1.6 million more than he did last year.

This situation is interesting. It could be argued that the goal for every sports franchise is to win as many games as possible. So it could also be said, in essence, that every professional athlete is paid to help his/her team win games. Ohlendorf not only didn’t win as many games as he lost. He actually lost 10 times more games than he won.

While some people might find this story to be interesting from a business standpoint, I don’t find the politics behind arbitration cases to be particularly fascinating. However, this case study does beg the question: Just how important is a Win/Loss record for a starting Major League Pitcher.

On the one hand a starting pitcher can only take care of their business: pitching. A pitcher has little to no way of dictating the offense and if there’s no offense, a pitcher won’t be able to get a win. The team’s offensive output can completely dictate whether the pitcher gets a win or a loss: if the offense puts up 10 runs, the starting pitcher can have an atrocious game and still pick up the ‘W’. Likewise, if the offense doesn’t score, they won’t win the game, period.

Statistics that can help combat the misleading nature of the W-L are cheap wins (Wins in which the starting pitcher pitches less than 6 innings or allowing more than 3 runs) and tough losses (losses in quality starts). In Ohlendorf’s case he had zero cheap wins (not surprisingly considering he won 1 game) but had four tough losses—showing his value is better than his record indicates.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the W-L statistic is dated. Sabermetric gurus will point out that the statistic was created during the dead ball era. Since 1919, the average decision percentage (the percent of the time the starting pitcher is credited with a win or a loss) has steadily dropped from around 95% to about 70%. This trend correlates with the average innings pitched per start. In the same time period a starting pitchers innings per start has dropped from roughly 8 to 6. Obviously when a starting pitcher is only pitching 6 innings a game that leaves three innings for the decision to go to a reliever and not the starter.

In many ways the W-L statistic is misleading and dated. With that said, baseball prides itself as a mental sport. Great pitchers don’t always turn in a great game but they seem to win more often than not. There’s something to be said for a pitcher that pitches well enough to win. In 1938 Bobo Newsom led the league in wins while posting a 5.08 ERA. In this case Newsom’s was an asset to his team despite his relatively bad ERA. Why? He pitched well enough to win. And while starting pitchers clock less innings than they used to, the win/loss statistic is set up in a way where they must pitch the majority of the game in order to earn a victory. They also must leave the game with the lead in order to get the W—they aren’t unfairly being pegged with wins or loses that are decided while they’re on the pine.

With all of this considered, it’s safe to say that while the bottom line of a team’s success is wins and loses, W/L is not the most important pitcher’s statistic. Can a pitcher with a losing record still be an asset to his team? Definitely, especially when the team that he pitches for has a losing record. But does Ross Ohlendorf deserve a raise after posting a 1-11 record? Now, that’s debatable.

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