MVP

It now should be more than clear to all that Josh Hamilton is the American League MVP. There should be no question. He is the true 5 tool player. Hits for power and average, runs bases expertly, fields as good as any in the game and don't try to take an extra base on him, he will gun you down. Sadly, I don't believe he will win the MVP.

Over half of the voters reside within a half hour drive of the east coast. They love the Yankees Robinson Cano. It may even go to someone for the (satan)Rays. Possibly Miguel Cabrera or another midwest player. I can't see them voting for a west coast player this year, unless they try to give Trevor Cahill both the MVP and the Cy Young, which is doubtful. They won't vote for a Ranger.

Speaking of Cy Young, does Cliff Lee want to be here? Doesn't seem like it. Weather, the park, travel requirements all have nothing to do with it. He wanted to play for the Yankees. He was keyed up to go and then the trade fell through. I'm not saying he's intentionally throwing it, he just isn't into it and may well be becoming a liability.

Let's face it, baseball and basketball aren't like football. The majority of football players will play hard for the team they are on. There is no majority clamoring to play in Dallas or Pittsburgh or San Francisco or some team seen as a historically and drastically dominant as an organization. In basketball, over half the league would rather be in Los Angeles, Boston or just on the east coast. It's for those teams that they try hardest. Well over half of baseball players want to play for the Yankees and about half would have the Red Sox or Dodgers be a close second.

What I don't get is why. For the Yankees especially, you are likely to be just another guy.  Look at the Yankees history.  How many current Yankees are going to be seen as all timers?  Jeter and Rivera.  Do you remember Jason Giambi as a Yankee or an A.  Dave Winfield as a Yankee or a Padre?  A-rod as a Yankee or a PED diva?  And the list goes on.  So many players have a chance to be beloved and forever remembered as bringing a championship to so many franchises but chose to be a platooned extra in New York.

Manny being.........a Ranger?  If the White Sox pass the Rangers are next in line.  But he just doesn't fit.  Do you give up on David Murphy's excellent fielding for a loafer in the field?  Do you platoon him at DH with Vlad?  Manny doesn't want to be a DH and would cause problems.  There might be moves to make but Manny isn't one.

Dang Yankees!

The Rangers' extra inning win over the Evil Empire last night was no fluke.  No pitching implosion but the Yankees pitching.  No excuses for injuries or illness.  This was a hard fought game, well played by both sides, except for the Rangers' 3 errors.  The Yankees were trying, but there are no reel holes in the Texas line up for them to exploit.

As far as arguing that Mariano Rivera imploded, that's nonsense.  He simply ran into a team that has good at bats, rather than the blind flailing most of the league does when he comes in.  He better be careful.  The Rangers have had a history of ending the productive career of some closers.  Anyone remember Bobby Thigpen?  They made Rivera have to pitch and he didn't.  The league had better learn to pitch to Nelson Cruz.  Walking him to get to David Murphy has backfired on teams twice in a week.  

The Cano is sick/Texiera was out argument is null.  The Yankees bench is filled with players that would be and have been starters and stars on other teams.  Curtis Granderson and Lance Berkman played last night and both fit that bill.  Robinson Cano was sick?  They brought him in late in the game.

Like the ad campaign says, It's Time!

My take on the no hit Explosion

My good friend Fred recently asked me to blog my opinion on the no hit explosion we saw earlier this year in baseball and how the "end" of the steroid era mat have effected this.  I decided to give this some consideration before responding, so here goes.

It appears to me that while the PED's gave hitters more power, it gave a recuperative effect to pitchers.  Hitters now have more warning track outs that were home runs in the steroid era.  Balls are hit less sharply hit and more easily playable.

Just as important though is pitchers now rely less on power and more on location.  I believe just trying to throw the cover off the ball every time led to more balls in play because hitters were more reliant on timing.  This is why pitchers like Cliff Lee are so valuable now.  The recuperative effect was also leaving pitchers in games longer.  I feel this led to a bigger "crash" when they wore out.  Now that low pitch count is the way to get deep into a game, only pitchers having days with a great combination of location and speed are lasting a while.