1. There’s talk that Commissioner Selig will suspend Jason Giambi if he fails to fully cooperate with Sen. Mitchell investigation into the use of steroids in the game of baseball. I would have expected nothing less of Selig and Mitchell. They seem like just the types of weaklings that would use coercion to extract information. “Rat out or we’ll crush you like a worm” they’re saying.
I am certain that the player’s union is watching this closely and will file a grievance on Giambi’s behalf. They’d be right to since, after all, Giambi would be facing suspension for doing something that wasn’t against the rules of the game at the time.
The Mitchell Commission was a bad idea from the very beginning and now the MLBPA will humiliate them in arbitration, making them look tyrannical (on top of incompetent and deeply conflicted). I’m eating this all up. Anything that further tarnishes Selig’s legacy is fine in my book.
2. Is there a dumber manager in the game of baseball than John Gibbons? OK, maybe the Dodgers’ Grady Little is dumber. So I guess that makes Gibbons is the dumbest manager in the American League. Has Gibbons ever heard of Mark Prior or Kerry Wood? Has he ever heard of Rich Harden, Carl Pavano, or Ben Sheets? Is he familiar with the ace of his own staff, AJ Burnett? What do these guys all have in common? They’re all talented pitchers who have suffered injuries due to overuse early in their careers.
This isn’t the 1940’s where pitchers could throw complete games every start. For better or worse, the game has evolved to the point where pitch counts are a crucial statistic for managers and their pitching coaches to keep track of. It should alarm all Blue Jays fans (and their management) when AJ Burnett, a pitcher with a history of fragility, was kept in for an average of 125 pitches per start over his past three starts. It should alarm Blue Jays fans (and their management) further to know that Burnett has averaged 110 pitches since May 1st (nine starts) including five starts over 115 pitches. Was it a surprise that Burnett left his last start with pain in his pitching shoulder?
Toronto GM JP Ricciardi signed Burnett to a five year, $55M contract before the 2006 season. With roughly 70% of the contract remaining, I find it incredible that Gibbons would be so cavalier with the health of his most fragile pitcher. Ricciardi – if he’s even alive and aware – should be incensed.
3. The Mets have a $115M payroll, a five-game losing streak, and a 2-10 record in the month of June. In two of their last three series, they’ve been swept by the Phillies and Dodgers, and outscored 32-12 in those games. Overall, the Mets have given up 65 runs and scored 38 during this 12-game stretch. Where’s ESPN? Where are the yellow dogs of New York’s newspapers? Where are the cries that Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Carlos Delgado should be traded because they can’t handle the so-called pressure of New York?
Look, I’m a Yankee fan. I know the playoffs likely aren’t in my future this October. But I still have to ask that the same vicious bloodlust be meted out to the expansion team that plays its games in Queens County. They’re the Mets people; the fucking Mets. They’re the same team of mercenaries that the Yanks are. Quit pretending they’re a cuddly and charming bunch of young upstarts
I am certain that the player’s union is watching this closely and will file a grievance on Giambi’s behalf. They’d be right to since, after all, Giambi would be facing suspension for doing something that wasn’t against the rules of the game at the time.
The Mitchell Commission was a bad idea from the very beginning and now the MLBPA will humiliate them in arbitration, making them look tyrannical (on top of incompetent and deeply conflicted). I’m eating this all up. Anything that further tarnishes Selig’s legacy is fine in my book.
2. Is there a dumber manager in the game of baseball than John Gibbons? OK, maybe the Dodgers’ Grady Little is dumber. So I guess that makes Gibbons is the dumbest manager in the American League. Has Gibbons ever heard of Mark Prior or Kerry Wood? Has he ever heard of Rich Harden, Carl Pavano, or Ben Sheets? Is he familiar with the ace of his own staff, AJ Burnett? What do these guys all have in common? They’re all talented pitchers who have suffered injuries due to overuse early in their careers.
This isn’t the 1940’s where pitchers could throw complete games every start. For better or worse, the game has evolved to the point where pitch counts are a crucial statistic for managers and their pitching coaches to keep track of. It should alarm all Blue Jays fans (and their management) when AJ Burnett, a pitcher with a history of fragility, was kept in for an average of 125 pitches per start over his past three starts. It should alarm Blue Jays fans (and their management) further to know that Burnett has averaged 110 pitches since May 1st (nine starts) including five starts over 115 pitches. Was it a surprise that Burnett left his last start with pain in his pitching shoulder?
Toronto GM JP Ricciardi signed Burnett to a five year, $55M contract before the 2006 season. With roughly 70% of the contract remaining, I find it incredible that Gibbons would be so cavalier with the health of his most fragile pitcher. Ricciardi – if he’s even alive and aware – should be incensed.
3. The Mets have a $115M payroll, a five-game losing streak, and a 2-10 record in the month of June. In two of their last three series, they’ve been swept by the Phillies and Dodgers, and outscored 32-12 in those games. Overall, the Mets have given up 65 runs and scored 38 during this 12-game stretch. Where’s ESPN? Where are the yellow dogs of New York’s newspapers? Where are the cries that Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Carlos Delgado should be traded because they can’t handle the so-called pressure of New York?
Look, I’m a Yankee fan. I know the playoffs likely aren’t in my future this October. But I still have to ask that the same vicious bloodlust be meted out to the expansion team that plays its games in Queens County. They’re the Mets people; the fucking Mets. They’re the same team of mercenaries that the Yanks are. Quit pretending they’re a cuddly and charming bunch of young upstarts
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