I haven't posted here in over a year, and I'm okay with that. I don't know how often I'll post here, but right now, I'm feeling it.
Whereas all the major sports outlets are furiously masturbating on early and kinda weak NFL season, the Rams are Linehan-bad, so I've got nothing to add there. I think it's an affront to all thinking people to spend most of the sports airtime talking about the NFL when playoff baseball is about to be unleashed.
Here we go.
Retirees
Mariano Rivera and Todd Helton have both hung up their gloves and spikes, and I wish them the best. Not only did they seem to carry themselves with class while also dominating in their respective roles, they both did it while playing for one team in each of their careers. Helton, arguably the greatest Rockies player ever, never pulled the 'fuck you, I'm out, I need more money, I mean a championship, uh, yeah, that' shit that we see too often in sports. Rivera, meanwhile, did nothing but win for a very dominant Yankees dynasty. While there seemed to be a revolving door of high-priced prima donnas in his clubhouse, he never fell into that trap. He just quietly went about the business of decimating hitters in the 9th inning of some of the highest-pressure games in history. Happy trails, gents.
Mo is a lock for the Hall. No discussion needed there.
Todd Helton, though ... check his stats ... I think I'd put him in. He averaged .316/27/101 over a 17-year career, and I'd say that's dominant. One of the things that he's going to suffer from, though, is a) playing out west, and b) playing out west for a team that isn't the Dodgers or Giants.
In my mind, Helton was the complete package. Solid hitter, both in terms of average and power, solid defender, solid character in the clubhouse, and to me, playing on one team your whole career counts for something, too.
Managers on the Move
The Cubbies have shown Sveum the door, something that isn't totally unexpected. To hear Theo tell it, the failures of both Rizzo and Castro to develop is the reason. I liked Sveum. He didn't take any shit, and in a city like Chicago, where negativity is the lifeblood of the sports fans out there, you've gotta be tough. Not only do you have to stand your ground with the press, but you've gotta reign in these young guys that might be getting a little fuller of themselves than their on-field performance might dictate. Castro seems to be less-than-interested at times, and it shows. I get Theo's reasoning, and I'm curious to see if a change in management turns these guys around. But, guys, I will add ... this is the Cubs we're talking about.
I've read some reports linking Joe Girardi to this job, and I think that's a great fit, even if it could potentially spell the end of his career as a well-respected manager. Girardi is a former catcher, and that's the most important requirement. Second, he did a hell of a job with the Marlins for one year before Loria lost his shit again. Third, he seems able to manage in a big city that has equally big egos.
The key, though, is this. One, managing a team with the Yankees' payroll might give a manager a slight advantage. Two, managing in the AL requires a lot less strategy. You fill out your lineup card, give some direction on in-game approach, and then you can text with Jay-Z about where you're going out later.
Being a Cardinals fan, I would love to compete against Girardi. I'd love to have the Cards-Cubs thing actually mean something in the standings. Of course, he'll have to have a roster with a bigger name on it than fucking Darwin Barney, but maybe they could dump the dumbest name in baseball, and bring in someone like ... Robinson Cano? Actually, I think he'll end up a Met, but it is fun to think about.
PLAYOFFS?!
Sort of. We have a tiebreaker tonight in the heart of Texas. I love this kinda stuff. A tie-breaker to help determine who plays in the one-game Wild Card. That's fantastic. I'm not being sarcastic, either.
I like both teams that are in it, too. I love the Rays because of Joe Maddon. I think he's arguably the best manager in the game, and is able to defy logic, year in and year out, with how much he's able to coax out of a cheap roster that's supported by like five fans.
I like the Rangers, because they're built the way an AL team is supposed to be built. Lumber upon lumber, they smack home runs and beat teams into submission, pure and simple.
I love the contrast of the teams that are playing tonight. It should be a great game.
I'd love it even more if Nelson Cruz wasn't allowed to play, after having served his joke of a suspension. I'd forgotten that these guys got off light, and were allowed to play postseason ball this year. I respected the hell out of the Giants last year when they told Melky to fuck off after he became available from his suspension, and I'm disappointed that Nolan Ryan didn't take the same approach here.
All that being said, were I Ron Washington, I'd have some serious reservations about starting Nelson Cruz after he hasn't seen a real MLB pitch in about two months. This is a do-or-die game. Are you really going to gamble on a guy that a) has been out for two months, and b) is off steroids after needing them to perform before? Yes, that's a bit of an oversimplification, but I think it's still a question worth asking.
Extra Innings
I'm told that the NHL isn't on strike yet, and they're starting their first season of the year, before 26 teams make it into the playoffs some time next spring.
NBA preseason starts. I would give up the Rams if it meant bringing an NBA team to St. Louis.
I can't imagine the impossible decisions that Matheny is faced with in regards to the post-season roster, namely as relates to the pitching staff. Luckily, it'll be far easier than the questions Mozeliak is faced with when the Hot Stove heats up this winter.
Welcome to Red October, folks!
-Blaine
