Monday, April 25, 2011

Ryan Braun - Cashing Chips and Landing Chicks

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This past week the Milwaukee Brewers made their All-Star left fielder a very wealthy man. Prior to being named the National League's Player of the Week earlier today, Ryan Braun signed a lucrative five-year, $105 Million extension with the Brew Crew. Already under team control until 2015, the deal will keep the 3-time recipient of the Silver Slugger Award in a Brewers uni until at least 2020. In only his fifth big league season, the former Rookie of the Year has already cemented himself among the best slugging outfielders in the league and is currently on pace to break numerous Brewers franchise records.

But even considering how good of a hitter Braun is, I question the deal for the simple fact that it wasn't necessarily appropriate to dish out that kind of money at this time, given the amount of years remaining on his current contract. And with the All-Star slugging first baseman Prince Fielder set to hit the free agent market come November, I think Milwaukee's general manager Doug Melvin might have misread his team's list of priorities. Nonetheless, Milwaukee's stock to win the division hasn't been this high in years, thanks in large part to the front-office bolstering its pitching rotation in the offseason, with the acquisitions of Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke who is yet to see action in a Brewers uniform.
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Following Braun's new multi-year pact, the Milwaukee faithful greeted him with a standing ovation and gave him a thunderous applause, to which he responded with an impressive performance, finishing the day 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored, a home run and 3 rbi's. However, that wasn't the only thing they gave him. Sitting in the left field bleachers, a fan decked out in Brewers gear was seen holding a poster board that read, "Marry me Ryan," along with her phone number attached. Little did she know the sign would be caught on camera for all of Wisconsin to see.

After their 14-7 victory over the Houston Astros, Braun received word about the fan and her sign and tried calling the number. Unfortunately for him, several hundred fans had the same idea and beat him to the punch, sending her phone on an endless ringing spree. After eventually being forced to turn her phone off, Braun was hoping to leave her a voicemail, but was once again outdone by the Brewers fan base who left her with a full mail box.
Braun jokingly replied, "I guess it wasn't meant to be."
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As much as I would've loved to hear Braun's response, one person who can't be too thrilled about the whole thing is his girlfriend. But if Braun who is currently among the league leaders in Runs, Home Runs and RBI's can continue his scorching hot start, don't be surprised if the number of groupies flocking to the yard with their phone numbers on signs begins to increase.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Five Finger Discount

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Last baseball season, Reds pitcher Mike Leake became the first player since Xavier Nady (2000) and 21st ever to go directly from the draft to the Majors. And if you're looking for the last pitcher to reach this feat, you'd have to go back even further to 1989 when Jim Abbott did so. A shorter list however, would be that of Major Leaguers who've been busted for stealing sixty dollars worth of t-shirts at their local department store. This past Monday, Leake was arrested by Cincinnati Police for doing just that. The star hurler out of Arizona State University where he went on to win back-to-back Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year Awards, was caught shoplifting from a Macy's in downtown Cincinnati after removing the price tags and attempting to leave the store with six American Rag t-shirts worth a whopping total of $59.88.
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Such an act like this comes as a surprise given Leake's current income of $425,000 and that's not counting the $2.27 Million he received in bonuses when signing with the Reds just a year ago. Leake was charged with theft, a misdemeanor in the state of Ohio and could serve a max of 180 days in jail if convicted. Luckily for him, Leake's criminal record is nonexistent, as this is his first run in with the law. Upon first hearing about this story, I thought he had stolen six shirts that were worth $60 each. Though that doesn't appear to be out of Mr. Leake's price range either, it would make a little more sense to steal...At least I thought soPhotobucket
Choosing to let the legal process run its coarse, the Reds organization released a statement but did not issue any disciplinary actions of their own. Still slated to make his scheduled start today, Leake pitched a strong seven innings against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, retiring 16 of the last 17 batters he faced to earn the win. Improving his record to 3-0, Leake allowed 3 earned runs on 4 hits while striking out 6 and walking 2 to help the Reds pull even with the St. Louis Cardinals (10-9) who currently share first place in the division. If the Reds plan to win back-to-back division titles for the first time since 1975-76, they better hope last year's NL MVP Joey Votto doesn't get any crazy ideas and pay a visit to his nearest JC Penny's or else they're really in big trouble.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Manny Calls It A Career

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Sweeping its way across the baseball landscape, is the recent news of Manny Ramirez's sudden retirement. Hours after receiving notice that he had violated Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, the 12-time All-Star decided it was time to call it quits. Ramirez who served a 50-game suspension in the early part of the 2009 season for violating the same rule while a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was issued a 100-game suspension this time around as a second offender. Rather than appealing the suspension that would sideline him for more than half the season, Ramirez informed the league that he would instead retire from the game of baseball. A move that adds to the existing question of whether or not he'll be inducted into Cooperstown.

Less than three months ago, Ramirez inked a one-year, $2 Million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays who were seeking a power hitter to help fill the void of the departed Carlos Pena. The signing would also reunite Ramirez with his old pal from the Boston Red Sox, Johnny Damon. The duo spent four years playing together in bean town (2002-2005) and helped put an end to Boston's dreadful 86-year championship drought, also known as the Curse of the Bambino, by winning the World Series in 2004. Both Damon and Ramirez were integral parts in the Red Sox offense which tormented Tampa Bay for so long, helping make Rays general manager Andrew Friedman's decision to sign the two relatively easy.
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Ramirez who got off to a slow start this season with only one hit in 17 at-bats, was away from the team when receiving the news of his suspension and had missed his last game due to what Ramirez called a "family matter." According to sources, the banned substance which caused the failed drug test, was detected during Spring Training. Though the abrupt departure from Ramirez came as a surprise to Rays skipper Joe Maddon, the 2008 AL Manager of the Year still expects his team to win the division. "I haven't backed off on that at all," Maddon stated. Easier said than done, winning the AL East will be no easy task for Tampa Bay, who many expect to finish behind Boston and New York in the standings, and even Baltimore to some.

Better known for his eyebrow raising remarks and questionable antics which became better known as "Manny being Manny," I doubt we'll see another character like Ramirez for many years to come. Noted as one of the greatest right-handed power hitters the game has ever seen, Manny owns the Major League record for the most post-season home runs with 28, and his 21 career grand slams are second to only Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig who went on to hit 23. Throughout his 18-year career which started with the Cleveland Indians before stints with the Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox and eventually the Rays, Ramirez hit 555 career homers which places him #14 on the all-time home runs list.
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Thursday, April 14, 2011

Bryan Stow: A Rivalry Gone Too Far

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With the Los Angeles Dodgers expected to return home for the first time this season since their season opening series against the rival San Francisco Giants, the team will not only be greeted by the shade of Dodger blue they're used to seeing, but also LAPD blue. This of coarse coming after the beating of a Giants fan in the Chavez Ravine parking lot after both teams renewed their rivalries for the first time in 2011 on March 31. Though the series between these two long-lived rivals almost guarantees a hostile environment which often translates to many fights amongst fans in the stands, never have we seen something quite like this.
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Bryan Stow, a Santa Cruz native and paramedic who is usually helping save lives, is now fighting for his own. Following a 2-1 loss to L.A., Stow, wearing a Giants jersey, began walking back to his vehicle, when suddenly he was ambushed by two Dodger fans who jumped from behind a parked car and began punching and kicking him profusely before fleeing the scene. Suffering from a severe skull fracture and bruising to the brain's frontal lobe, the father of three now lies in a coma while his family anxiously awaits his wake. Chief officials from both cities along with both organizations have joined forces in hopes of capturing the two suspects still at large. A $150,000 reward has been offered to anyone who knows any further information on the whereabouts of either suspect as seen here:
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With both teams meeting again on Monday, this time in San Francisco, the one thing on everybody's mind was if Giants fans would retaliate. Prior to throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, players and coaches from both teams met on the baseball diamond and were seen shaking hands with one another before Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt and Jamey Carroll of the Dodgers stood in front of a podium to address the issue and remind fans that there's no room in the game for hatred and violence. "We ask that you respect our rivalry and that you respect each other as fans." said Affeldt. Trying to fight off tears, the choked up left-hander added, "When the last out is made, the rivalry ends on the field."
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The game was dedicated to Stow, raising over $70,000 in proceeds to help his family pay for medical bills. Another $60,000 was raised by the Dodgers organization who also did their part by holding a drive through fund raiser in the Dodger Stadium parking lot where the incident took place. Some of the Giants players also contributed, including fan favorite and 2-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum who donated $25,000 of his own to the Stow family. In efforts to prevent another incident like this happening, undercover cops and off-duty policeman will attend Thursday's Dodgers-Cardinals game dressed in opposing teams attire to act as decoys in hopes of cracking down on other unruly fans.
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It's obvious the history between not only these two teams is rich in violence but also both cities, so I find it rather sad it's taken something like this for officials to finally step in and beef up security. After all, this isn't the first act of thuggery seen in the infamous Dodger Stadium parking lot. Such antics between fans of the two teams have gone as far as a shooting, which took place in 2003, when a Giants fan shot and killed a Dodger fan after a similar altercation. And more recently in 2009 when the Dodgers hosted the Giants to open the season, a man was hospitalized after being stabbed multiple times following an argument.
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What makes this tragedy so frightening to me, is that it could have happened to anyone. For years now, my father and I have made a number of trips to Giants-Dodger games in L.A., and we've been fortunate enough to leave the stadium unharmed, with no battle wounds to show for. Based off my own experience, there's no other feeling as discomforting as the one that follows after leaving the hostile environment of Dodger Stadium. However, that won't stop me from entering the Ravine or any other opposing team's stadium to support my team. A day at the yard should be a fan-friendly, family oriented environment. Not a place to go to seek violence with other fans or rival gang members, which has happened all too often at the Ravine.
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Dodgers second baseman Jamey Carroll said it best on Monday when standing in front of a sold out crowd at AT&T Park, "This is America's national past time and let's keep it at that."

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The Belt Factor

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For years now, the homegrown talent in the San Francisco Giants pitching rotation has paved the way to their recent success. One problem they've also endured however, is developing promising young talent at the first base position. The 2010 World Champions who haven't had an everyday first baseman pan out since Will 'The Thrill' Clark did in the late 80's, are hoping they finally found their answer in Brandon Belt. Since being selected in the 5th round of the 2009 MLB Draft, the Texas native has rapidly moved his way through the Giants farm system, and into Spring Training where he awed skipper Bruce Bochy and played well enough to earn a spot on the Giants Opening Day roster.


Accompanying Belt through his big league journey, will be last year's Rookie of the Year, Buster Posey who was in Belt's very position last season after being called up in late May. The mid-season call up of Posey propelled the Giants in the division and helped ease the burden on the rest of the cast, in routing the franchise to their first ever World Series title since moving out west in 1956. With all that taken into account, who better to have Belt be shown the ropes to than the 2008 Golden Spikes Award winner who at times last year moved from his everyday catching position to man first base.


On Opening Day this past Thursday, Belt made his Major League debut where he finished the game 1-for-3 with a walk, logging his first big league hit in his very first at-bat off Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. The following day, Belt connected with his first career home run over the centerfield wall, a 3-run shot off Chad Billingsley. Something the Giants organization hopes to see a lot more of for many years to come. Eventually, Belt's big moment would be negated by two Giants errors, spelling doom for the reigning World Champs who went on to lose to the game, 4-3. Ironically, the homer came just one day later than the aforementioned Will Clark who hit his first big league blast in his Major League debut off Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.


Although his long ball came one game shy of Clark's, the Giants front office isn't the slightest bit reluctant to think the left-handed hitting Belt could be the next All-Star first baseman Clark was in his 8 years with the franchise, making it to the mid-summer classic five times while a member of the Giants. Expected to share duties at first with Aubrey Huff once the ailing Cody Ross returns from the Disabled List, Belt does have some experience in the outfield, having played double-digit games in both corners while in the Minors. Luckily for the soon-to-be 23 year old Belt, his versatility just might be his most valuable quality, with Pat Burrell struggling and both Ross and Andres Torres sidelined with injuries.
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A demotion to the Minors is another option for Giants manager Bruce Bochy, and wouldn't be all that bad for Belt who's hitting .143 after his first 10 games. Every stop of the way while in the Minor Leagues last year, Belt tore the seams off the ball, hitting a combined batting average of .352 with 112 RBI's and 23 homers. With that being said, just how does one add to an already impressive resume? The trip down to the Minors for a month or so would help Belt get his rhythm back on track and help him translate his game to the main stage.

Though most usually see a return o the minors as a negative, the move would only further his skill set and add some seasoning to the Giants number one prospect, paying dividends once he's brought back up.
Since slowing down after his impressive series against the Dodgers, Bochy made it clear that it's still way too early in the developing process to judge where his rookie stands. "We're going to be patient with him, he'll figure it out."

Fashion Police cracks down on Dez

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With the 24th pick in the first round of last year's NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Dez Bryant out of Oklahoma State. Within days of his arrival to training camp, the standout wide receiver was an instant hit amongst Cowboy fans. And if it wasn't for the combination of St. Louis' Sam Bradford who nearly turned a 1-15 Rams team just a year ago into a Playoff contender and an injured ankle suffered by Bryant in week 13, we could very well be looking at last year's Rookie of the Year. But even with the impressive numbers Dez accumulated despite the insufficient playing time, his off-the-field issues would often overshadow his rookie campaign.

Dating back to as early as April of 2010 before being drafted, Bryant has been an unfortunate victim of numerous incidents, first starting with his infamous pre-draft interview where he was asked about his mothers past and most notably if she was a prostitute. The shenanigans continued when he refused to take part in a long-lived Cowboys tradition of carrying the pads of veteran players during training camp, followed by an injured ankle during practice. And of coarse, who could forget the $860,000 he's being sued for after allegedly taking jewelry without payment. However, none of the above compare to his most recent episode.

While spending a day at the North Park mall popping some tags and reenacting the Fabolous 'Just throw it in the bag' music video, Bryant along with his posse, were strolling around the mall when suddenly they were approached by a security guard who asked them to pull up their sagging pants. The request angered Bryant who began to make a scene and responded with profanity which eventually led to them being kicked out of the mall. What should have ended there, then escalated to the parking lot where Bryant's entourage parked in a red zone, refusing to leave. The mischievous acts eventually landed the Cowboys wide-out a 90-day ban from the mall, along with a trespassing warning.
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With the whole NFL lockout thing going on, I don't expect Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to comment like he usually does, but this can't paint a pretty picture for the Oklahoma State alum. As for the man himself, Dez who commented on the subject, agrees. "I know how much I mean to the people of Dallas," Bryant said. "I feel like the people of Dallas give me a lot of love. I want to make them proud." If that's the case, he's gotten off on the wrong foot, entering only his second year in the lone star state. Luckily for him, he won't have to resort to buying sneakers online for long, as his ban from the mall is expected to be dropped sometime this week, pending an approval from officials. Perhaps next time he makes a trip to the outlet, he'll buy some belts for him and his crew.

Though he claims he plans to clean up his act, something tells me this won't be the last of Dez Bryant's head shaking adventures. So until next time, wear a belt kiddies!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

World Series Hangover

This past Thursday, the San Francisco Giants opened their title defense on the road against the rival Dodgers in a four game series in L.A. Since capturing their first ever World Series Championship in late October, the Giants have showed no signs of slowing down, finishing Spring Training with a league best 23-wins. However, the start to their 2011 campaign and run for a second consecutive title began a bit sluggish and was anything but ideal. Photobucket
Game 1 of their four game set at Dodger Stadium featured a pair of young aces -- Tim Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw. Living up to expectations, Kershaw would eventually win the pitcher's duel, thanks to 3 errors by the Giants, allowing a 1-0 lead in the 6th. L.A. would tack on another run in the 8th, before Pat Burrell's solo shot off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton put the Giants on the board in the 9th, ending the shutout. However, the self inflicted wounds would be the difference in the game, as the World Champs dropped their first match of the season, 2-1.
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In Game 2, the Giants starting rotation would showcase yet another dominant outing to start the game, before running into some misfortune for the second straight night. Southpaw Jonathan Sanchez appeared to be on top of his game for the Giants, until allowing a walk to the opposing pitcher Chad Billingsley in the 3rd, who went on to score after a ground-rule double hit by Matt Kemp. The Giants would strike back an inning later, with the only offense they had all night, thanks to rookie first baseman Brandon Belt hitting his first big league homer, a 3-run shot over the center field wall. After taking a 3-1 lead into the 6th, the San Francisco defense would commit back-to-back errors, including a comebacker off the glove of Sanchez, allowing the Dodgers to reclaim the lead.


Only a year removed from setting a franchise record for the fewest errors in a season and a .988 fielding percentage which was good enough for 4th best in the league, the Giants have already committed 5 errors. Those errors would prove to be costly as San Francisco was unable to get anything else going on offense, falling once again to their archrivals, 4-3.
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With a chance to split the series in Game 4, the Giants would hand the ball over to the left-handed Barry Zito for the finale. Having suffered from a car accident just days prior to his outing on Wednesday night, it was unsure if Zito would be effective in his scheduled start, let alone be healthy enough to play. With a few extra nights of rest pitching fourth in the rotation, Zito was given the green light and pronounced ready to go, facing L.A.'s Hiroki Kuroda. Zito, a former Cy Young Award winner while a member of the A's, ran into an early speed bump, as two of the first three Dodger hitters reached base before being brought home on a Matt Kemp homer. After the 3-run 1st, Zito would settle in and was let off the hook thanks to solo blasts by both Pablo Sandoval and Pat Burrell and an RBI single off the bat of Posey.


The Giants bullpen however, missing one of their key pieces in closer Brian Wilson, would be kind enough to give the game right back with contributions from Aubrey Huff who had a hard time covering right field. Diving and missing a ball by several feet was only the beginning of a forgetful day by the veteran Huff who later let a ball soar over his head after being turned around and mislead. The left handed throwing Dan Runzler would be credited with 4 earned runs in the 7th, while recording only one out before Sergio Romo was called upon. The Giants would be a threat the following inning after loading the bases, but only managed to scratch across 1-run with a bases loaded walk by Belt.

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With a 3-run deficit heading into the 9th, the pinch-hitting Aaron Rowand led the inning off with a home run, cutting the lead to 2. After a Freddy Sanchez base hit, last year's reigning Rookie of the Year Buster Posey came up to bat with a chance to tie it, but instead grounded out to end the game, sending the defending World Champs to a disappointing 1-3 record to start the season. Stealing a quote from Giants skipper Bruce Bochy who said, "We shot ourselves in the foot" would be a perfect way to sum up the series. Not only did the Giants make a lot of self inflicted miscues, but the Dodgers were fortunate enough to capitalize on them. To say the players are happy to be leaving L.A. would be an understatement.


With an off-day tomorrow, Bruce Bochy and company will make the trip down south of the border to face the San Diego Padres for a 2-game set before the Giants' home-opener on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Though I don't expect the Giants to get swept against the Friars, perhaps a trip home is all they need to get going and be reminded that they're the defending World Champions. On tap for Tuesday's affair will be southpaw Madison Bumgarner facing off against San Diego's newest arm and long time ace of the Reds -- Aaron Harang.