Mark of Inconsistency

One of the most frustrating aspects of this baseball season so far has been the maddening inconsistency of the Boston Red Sox. Many have called this team the best in baseball but there’s no way I can agree with that. Yes, they are 21-5 at home but they have been awful on the road at 11-18 including 1-4 so far on this 10 game trip. Championship caliber teams win road games, period. And right now I don’t see the Red Sox as anywhere near that. They just can’t play a complete game on the road. When they pitch well they don’t hit. When they hit, their pitching implodes. That is the mark of a mediocre team, not a big winner. I don’t care how many games they win at home. Unless they start winning more consistently away from Fenway Park their record is going to stay where it is now- floating around 8 or 9 games over .500 and that ain’t gonna get it done. That’s an 85 win, mediocre team not a playoff contender. I can’t explain what the problem is except to say that the team has no comeback ability away from Fenway. They look listless and like a team that is willing to accept defeat when things go south early in a game. That is extremely frustrating to watch. I expect better from a team filled with experienced veterans who have had a lot of road success. Guys like Jason Varitek and David Ortiz need to turn over some post-game buffet tables to get this team going. Because if they don’t, this team’s road play is going to cost them a chance to win an AL East that isn’t all that good. All the teams have bad flaws. The Yankees can’t pitch, Toronto can’t hit, the Rays are a bit young to think they will last the whole year and the Orioles are just overachieving right now. This should be a recipe for the Red Sox to coast to the division title. But until or unless they fix these road woes they will remain stuck in neutral for most of the season.

Still the National Pastime

Kansas City Royals pitcher Brian Bannister said it best when asked to sum up his thoughts on the no-hitter just thrown at his team by Boston’s young pitcher Jon Lester: “If someone had to throw a no-hitter against us, I’m glad it was Jon,” Bannister finally says. “That’s just an amazing story after what he has gone through. As a fellow pitcher, I can see just how amazing this is. It hurts to get no-hit, but you think about what he did. You know, that’s why I love this game.” And with those words it is easy to understand why baseball is the most beloved sport in America. Yes, football is almost neck and neck with baseball in terms of popularity, but when push comes to shove baseball always seems to win out. Guys like Bannister seem to understand the kid-friendly nature of the game and when they produce quotes such as his about an opponent it reminds us that after all the money and scandals and steroids and everything else, baseball is really just a bunch of grown up kids having fun and tipping their caps to a job well done by their opponent. After all, Lester is a kid who has come full circle- from being a top prospect to beating cancer to climbing back to the majors to pitching the clinching game of the World Series to pitching an unexpected no-hitter. Throw in the fact that Lester pitched this game in historic Fenway Park on a cold and windy night against a franchise that had never been no-hit except for one time by the great Nolan Ryan, and you’ve got the ingredients for a story they write for the movies. That makes Lester’s accomplishment seem even more romantic, if that’s possible. I don’t think you’d find the appreciation level from guys like Bannister present in the other sports after a moment like this and that’s why I think baseball will always be America’s game no matter how much the owners and players try to ruin its great name. It’s just got that little extra something that’s hard to describe but you know it when you see it. And last night at Fenway, the whole world saw it.

Too Much Gray Area

The fallout from the NFL’s “Spygate” affair makes one thing perfectly clear to me: Bill Belichick should not ever be considered one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. I don’t care how many games or Super Bowls he wins, they are all tainted because of this fiasco. After watching former assistant Matt Walsh’s first TV interview on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” there’s just too much doubt about who knew what and when. For me, there are two unanswered issues that should taint Belichick the rest of his career. Number one, if the spying was worth nothing to him why did the team keep doing it and take steps to hide it? And number two, why is Belichick saying that Walsh’s version of the story is wrong and that he doesn’t recall things when he supposed to be such a genius coach? Those two things just don’t sit right with me. People who are innocent of something will always vociferously proclaim their innocence verbally. Belichick has not done that because he can’t. He got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. But instead of explaining his reasons for it, he plays dumb and hopes it all goes away. Well, he can’t have it both ways. Continuing to play dumb will always allow people to question the veracity of his coaching skills. He’s better off trying to explain his reasons for the spying while admitting he was wrong. We all know why he did it- because winning takes precedence over everything else in his life, including integrity. That’s common knowledge about Belichick and is the reason why people equate the Patriots to the New York Yankees, who also desire to win at all costs. I’m sorry, this spying story takes Belichick out of the discussion as far as the greatest coaches ever. There are just too many questions and shaky answers to them. Like Richard Nixon, whose Watergate scandal always clouds the great moments of his presidency, Belichick should suffer a similar fate in the annals of the NFL because of this incident. If it’s possible, he’s even more arrogant than Nixon. At least Nixon knew he had to resign. Belichick would never approach doing that. In fact, he won’t even explain himself. That tells me all I need to know.

Let It Go, Already

OK, it is now a witch hunt for Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter when it comes to Spygate and the NFL. Specter is apparently not satisfied that NFL commisioner Roger Goodell is capable of minding his own store so Specter is willing to lend the government’s assistance to him in order to save the integrity of the sport. Gimme a break. I commented on the phony and nonsensical nature of Specter and his grandstanding back in February in this space and my thoughts have not changed. Simply put, give it a rest Arlen. We know you’re all pissed off your Philadelphia Eagles lost a Super Bowl to Bill Belichick’s Patriots a few years ago. But blame Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid for that one. They were sleepwalking down the field instead of running a hurry-up offense in the last few minutes of that game and THAT’S why your team lost and not because of videotaping. Get it through your head that spending taxpayer money on a Mitchell Report-like investigation into signal taping in the NFL is a colossal waste of money and reeks of arrogance. With gas now over $4 per gallon and people losing their homes left and right, this is what congress wants to look into? How about investigating the executive branch of our government? I promise you’ll find plenty of scandal there. Stop wasting everybody’s time with this grandstanding garbage. The American people are angry enough at this government already. Don’t give us yet another reason to see incompetence 101 on display. Simply drop this investigation talk. We don’t need another Mitchell-like Report to come out and tell us nothing new about the NFL. What will taint the NFL is the investigative process to produce the report, not the finished product. Just like in baseball. Stop the insanity now, Arlen. Nobody in America cares what you think. I hate Belichick, but not enough to spend taxpayer money to investigate him further. America never spends it’s money wisely anymore. Don’t make this another example of it.

Here We Go Again

O.J. Mayo received illegal benefits totaling up to $30,000 while in high school and his one year of Division I basketball at USC. Wow, what a shocking development. This is a kid who was being touted as the next big thing when he was in grade school and people are now all up in arms over the latest developments with this kid? It was inevitable that the reports about Mayo receiving cash benefits so that he would sign with a certain agency to represent him in the NBA would surface because he is part of a corrupt system that is constantly being manipulated. Sure, the NCAA talks tough when one of these cases pop up but in the end they say “we looked into it but found nothing improper.” What do you expect? The way the NCAA lets players use their member schools as one year stop-overs allows scenarios like Mayo’s to happen. By the time the NCAA wakes up and attempts to do something the player is usually gone. It’s one year of college and any sanctions are too late. It was clear from his entry date at USC that Mayo was a one and done player. So, unless USC won the National Championship and would then risk being stripped of their title, Mayo and his “people” knew they could do whatever they wanted and receive no penalty. Now he’s off to the NBA and everyone knows he took the money and other benefits, denials be damned. ESPN’s Outside the Lines, which first broke this story, isn’t breaking any historic ground here. Let’s be honest, money is a powerful force. It makes many honest people do dishonest things in order to get it. I’m not saying it’s right, but if you were a high school kid and somebody offered you $30,000 to let him/her represent you later in life you’d jump all over that because you’re human and you probably ain’t rich just yet. So Mayo is no saint in this but he did what most would probably do. I blame the parasites all around him who are supposed to act like adults. Until the NCAA comes up with a policy with some teeth, incidents like this will continue to happen. Now we’ll have to spend the next week listening to denials from all the parties involved. But remember, as is usually the case in sizing up stories like this, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.

Need for Speed

Throughout their history, the Boston Red Sox have never been known for their team speed. But since center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury joined the team for good at the end of last season, the Sox have added a new dimension to their offense and it clearly has made them an even tougher team to deal with. No longer is this a plodding, station-to station team that waits for the three-run homer. These are the new Go-Go Sox. This season Ellsbury has 13 stolen bases in 13 tries (22 for 22 in his career) and more than that, he puts tremendous pressure on the opposing defense when he is on base. He always has to be accounted for and that makes pitchers pitch differently to the hitters behind him. And of course two guys named Ortiz and Manny hit lower in the order giving them plenty of RBI opportunities. The result is a team that so far leads the American League in runs scored. Combine that with solid starting pitching and you have a recipe for long term success in 2008. Ellsbury’s ability to beat out infield hits and stay out of double plays also increases the Sox’ scoring chances and allows them to extend innings against the opposing pitcher. It’s little things like this that don’t show up in the box score that wear opponents down. I think he’s been a big reason why the Sox have had so many late inning comeback wins this season. This is why the team was hesitant to trade Ellsbury to Minnesota for Johan Santana when that possibility was being discussed last winter. At the time, I stated that I did not want Santana if it meant giving up this kid. He brought so much energy to the team last October and I just felt he would be the kind of spark he’s been all season for years to come. I’ve seen nothing to change my mind about him so far. With Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester and Justin Masterson, the Sox can develop the necessary pitching they need but finding a high-energy everyday player in the mold of Johnny Damon in his prime is hard to find. The Sox are lucky that they made the wise choice to hold onto Ellsbury. It will allow them to trade Coco Crisp later in the season for that middle reliever they so desperately need to complement Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon in the bullpen. Yes, sometimes the best trades ARE the ones you don’t make.

The Forgotten Man

He was once the crowned prince of baseball. He was “The Kid” who would re-write the record books, including Hank Aaron’s “untouchable” home run record. He took less money because he wanted to play for his hometown team. He played with a joy unseen in baseball in the last 25 years and his smile left an indelible mark on the game. All of this describes him pre-2000, but now it is all different. He toils in obscurity on a team probably going nowhere in the 2008 pennant race. A team that was supposed to be the big surprise of the baseball season. The team is the Cincinnati Reds and the man is Ken Griffey, Jr. I was thinking about him the other day and was amazed at how he seems to just float under the baseball radar these days. No longer is Griffey considered a superstar. He is no longer mentioned in the same breath as A-Rod, Pujols, Big Papi, Vlad The Impaler and all the rest. He is now just a good player going through the motions on a bad team. The Reds have been a disappointment this year and it seems to show on The Kid’s face. I was wondering if it is still fun for him anymore. He ’s one of the greatest players of the modern era but injuries have robbed him of what he really could have been. Since arriving via trade to Cincinnati in 2000, it has been a constant struggle for Griffey with injuries. Injuries that have prevented him from possibly becoming the greatest of them all. I still have the image clear in my mind of Griffey chugging around the bases to eliminate the Yankees in 1995 and start a baseball craze in Seattle that eventually led to the building of Safeco Field, the current home of the Mariners. They call that place The House That Griffey Built and it is certainly true. He’d probably be on the way to 800 homers by now if it weren’t for the injury toll. But this is not to feel sorry for Griffey and I’m sure he would not want it any other way. He will soon become the 6th player to reach 600 homers and he is a first ballot Hall of Famer, so shed no tears for The Kid. But just ponder for a moment how often Griffey is thought of these days when the greatest current players in the game are mentioned. It isn’t very often, is it? Considering what he was in his younger days it is ironic that Griffey is often the forgotten man of baseball. This is just a reminder to remember him for what he once was because in due time he will be gone and that will truly be a sad day for the game.

Dice-K or Dice-BB??

He’s now pitching in his second season for the Boston Red Sox and I’m officially out of patience with the $103 Million Dollar Man, Daisuke Matsuzaka. Last night’s performance may have been the biggest disgrace yet in his career. He walked 8 batters in 5 innings. This after he walked 6 against the Yankees in mid-April in another brutal outing and after being among the league leaders in walks allowed. You cannot walk 8 batters in a major league game and expect to be a successful pitcher over the long haul. You just can’t do it. What is it with this guy? Did he forget how to pitch? This is the guy Theo Epstein just had to have? He may have 5 or 6 different pitches but he can’t control any of them. I know only one of the 8 walks scored last night and he left with a 4-1 lead but all these walks are putting unnecessary stress on the Sox bullpen. A #2 starter has to pitch at least 6 innings (but more realistically 7) when he starts. Most nights it’s 5 innings and out and that isn’t gonna get it done. Right now, this guy has no idea where the ball is going and no one knows why. Yes, he won 15 games last year but most of them were not pretty. The team said he would be better this year as he got more adjusted to America so I don’t know what the problem is now. All I know is the Sox need this guy to be a solid #2. Management must be privately tearing their hair out over Matsuzaka especially because they espouse pounding the strike zone and making the opponent hit their way on base. After ace Josh Beckett, the team has two rookies and an unpredictable knuckleballer in the rotation. They need Matsuzaka to step up and make the #2 spot a given just like Beckett. That’s why he’s getting $103 million. He needs to start pitching like he’s actually worth it or there won’t be any October baseball in Boston this year. Beckett can’t do it alone. So far Matsuzaka has been a C+ pitcher at best in his time in Boston and that’s just not good enough for the money he’s making.

A Must Read

Continuing in the vein of inspiration derived from recently viewing HBO’s “Costas Now” special on sports and media, I have to say a few words about Jason Whitlock. He is a columnist for the Kansas City Star and a guest columnist for FOX Sports. I have been reading him for about a year now and his columns are “must see” journalism. (You can find links to his work on this site under columnists) Whitlock is not afraid to be controversial in his writing, particularly when it comes to race in sports. Although he is black, Whitlock is not afraid to criticize his own race in the search to get to the truth of race relations in sports. Of course, this stance does not always make him popular in the mainstream. He has used terms like “black KKK” (his words, not mine) to describe how black athletes are kept under control in the sports world and that white people are blamed for this when the problem actually lies in the black community. But Whitlock is no black-biased racist. Far from it. He was banned by ESPN from its “Sports Reporters” show a while back when he went on and defended Barry Bonds in the midst of the steroid controversy. He suggested that the problem was more widespread than just Bonds who, at the time, was the lone poster boy for steroids. He mentioned names like Clemens and McGwire before they were chic but apparently that didn’t sit too well with the “suits” at ESPN who love pandering to the athletes they cover. It is because of incidents like this that Whitlock is a must read. And for those who think he is just sucking up to the white dominated media machine just know that on the HBO special he indicated that his writing style was gleaned from a white newspaper columnist- Mike Royko (now deceased) of the Chicago Sun Times and Chicago Tribune, who made a career out of writing about race and sports. Whitlock consistently produces some of the best work I’ve ever seen in print. He deserves the attention he gets for his work. He gets to say things we all want to say because he is black and has the vast resume to get away with it. He uses his experience for the greater good and that can only be a good thing. Check out some of his work under the links on this page.

A Change of Course

Due to the inspiration drawn from recently viewing the HBO “Costas Now” special on sports and its relationship to media in society, I have decided to devote my full energies on this blog to sports commentary only. From this point forward the content published here will be 100% sports related. The reason? Because I think I can do sports commentary better than most out in the blogosphere and I want to concentrate on expanding this page into something people will visit often and want to read. I want this to be a place people will look to for a solid take on sports and not just a place to dump their verbal garbage. Yes, I will still continue to be sarcastic and unafraid to pull punches in my writing, but unlike jerkoffs like Will Leitch, who thinks “guy talk” is the only way to discuss sports, I want this to be a place for more thoughtful commentary and discussion. I realize outrageousness sells best but I also believe there is a place for good, solid sports discussion. It is the reason I listen to sports radio talk shows like “Mike and The Mad Dog” who do not deal in the “guy talk” nonsense. In an industry filled with schtick, they stick to the issues and produce a loyal listening audience with outstanding ratings. That’s how to conduct a discussion of sports. I want this blog to grow and I believe the best way to do it is to give readers a down to earth view of the issues instead of a smart-ass approach. There’s already way too much of that out there in the blogosphere. Leitch was an absolute embarrassment on Costas’ program the other night no matter how many hits his site gets daily. If people like him are the future of sports commentary we truly are in for a future filled with mindless discussion. I’d like to think we can do better.