Players needing strong second halves
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 3:52 PM
TROY PERCIVAL, RAYS: The Rays have had a terrific bullpen in the first half but now they enter the “Pennant Race Zone” and they will have to hold off two teams, the Yankees and Red Sox, who feature Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer in the majors and Jonathan Papelbon, the next greatest closer in the majors. The Rays also have a road-heavy schedule in the second half. Can Percival hold up as the Rays’ closer? Or is Grant Balfour a possible option for that role?
MANNY RAMIREZ, RED SOX: Wrist injuries are debilitating thus David Ortiz getting healthy from his must be considered a question mark for the second half. So Ramirez needs to regain his form and turn on fastballs just like he did on a key pitch from Francisco Rodriguez in Game 2 of last year’s ALDS.
ANDY PETTITTE, YANKEES: Chien-Ming Wang is the Yankees’ Ortiz -- his return date is uncertain and contribution once he returns even more unsure. So the Yankees need an ace. It’s more likely that Pettitte can sustain the pitching he demonstrated in outdueling Scott Kazmir earlier this week than it is for 39-year-old Mike Mussina to become the ace.
Sidebar: Shouldn’t we pause and assess the lives of “best friends” Pettitte and Roger Clemens at this juncture. Isn’t there something to be said for coming clean and America’s willingness to forgive and forget?
JOSE REYES, METS: There is no reason for this man to be the third if not fourth best shortstop in his own division. Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins has bypassed Reyes as the league’s top young player. Reyes must remove his head from the secure location in which it has resided since last September and be the Mets’ catalyst.
BRETT MYERS, PHILLIES: It must have just thrilled the Phillies to hear Myers say -- after his temporary demotion to Triple-A last week to try and work out his problems -- that he feels his long-term future is in the bullpen. The Phillies’ short-term hopes ride on better starting pitching. They need someone besides ancient mariner Jamie Moyer to support ace Cole Hamels. Their bullpen is phenomenal and the offense potent but they need Myers to be a solid starter -- at least for the final three months of this season.
RYAN FRANKLIN, CARDINALS: Eight years ago this month Franklin was a journeyman pitcher in the Seattle system, who was considering a move to Japan. He was chosen to pitch for the United States in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and contributed strongly to the gold medal team as a reliever. That success gave him a shot in the big leagues and now he stands as one of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan’s greatest reclamation projects.
With Jason Isringhausen ineffective and then disabled due to knee problems, Franklin -- with all of one career save -- assumed the closer’s role. There is some thought of Izzy returning after the All-Star break but it’s likely that Franklin will continue as a key closer in the heat of a tough NL Central race.
Sidebar: Duncan is without question the coach of the year in the majors over the first half of the season.
RICH HARDEN, CUBS: If he’s healthy -- the humongous question that has dogged him during his career -- Harden gives the Cubs the NL’s best pitching staff. No one can touch a top-3 in the rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Harden with a closing duo of Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood. Everything else seems to be in place for the Cubs to make the playoffs, particularly with Jim Edmonds showing some signs of life. Harden’s addition could be enough to hold off the Brewers and Cardinals for the NL Central crown.
BEN SHEETS, BREWERS: One week shy of turning 30, Sheets is making a great push to free-agency riches. Healthy for the first time in four years, Sheets is pitching like the ace Milwaukee has long expected him to be. Last year the Brewers’ record with Sheets was outstanding but he could only make 24 starts. Milwaukee needs Sheets to make 30-plus starts in tandem with CC Sabathia to chase down the Cubs.
PAUL KONERKO, WHITE SOX: It’s been a terrific first half for Chicago but to hold off Detroit, which has finally climbed over .500, and the pesky Twins, the White Sox need more offense. With Jim Thome’s bat looking slow, Konerko is the most likely candidate to provide the pop but his first half has been confounding. At 32, there is every reason to expect a rebound to his numbers of the last four years.
VLADIMIR GUERRERO, ANGELS: This team has over relied on Francisco Rodriguez, whose first half (36 saves) has been extraordinary. Someone must take the heat off the end-game pitchers for the Angels. Thus Bad Vlad needs to recapture his dominance. He is showing signs (.362 batting average, 8 home runs and 21 RBIs) since June 1 and must carry that level of production into the second half.
FIVE MORE SWINGS:
1. SEXSON GONE: Seattle continues to act on the horrid reality that is their 2008 disintegration. Interim manager Jim Riggleman wanted to cut Richie Sexson’s playing time. Sexson reacted poorly in Riggleman’s eyes, so this generation’s Dave Kingman was released.
I watched the M’s in Oakland Thursday and was struck by the total absence of patience by their hitters. This is a poorly constructed team (Jose Vidro must be the least-productive DH in modern times) that needs to be dismantled. And they need an infusion of hitters with some patience (Ichiro worked a walk off a lefty in the lone respectable example of patience at the plate through 11 innings). Yuniesky Betancourt, a terrific defender, has drawn five walks as an every-day player -- a fact that is truly mind-blowing.
2. NOT EVERYTHING HAS GONE WRONG FOR SEATTLE: They didn’t sign Barry Zito. Turns out the M’s ownership, over protest from the baseball people, offered Zito a six-year deal when he was a free agent after the 2006 season. San Francisco snagged him with seven years guaranteed. How’s that working out for the Giants?
3. COMEDY RELIEF OF THE WEEK: Headlines that trumpet the Giants in a “pennant race,” thus limiting Tim Lincecum’s All-Star Game availability. Giants manager Bruce Bochy says he wants to play the best possible lineup in chasing the division title. Now the NL West has been shockingly mediocre but at some point teams need to stop insulting their fans. Trying to win is good, trying to sell a bad team as postseason worthy is fraud.
4. NO FISH STORY: The Marlins are hanging around in the NL East. They have welcomed back both Ricky Nolasco and Josh Johnson from injuries. The Fish have the power and the bullpen. Like the Phillies if they get any starting pitching, they can stay in the division race.
5. TRADING DEADLINE PUTS HEAT ON SOME TEAMS: Pressure cranks up on St. Louis to make a deal countering this week’s moves by the Cubs and Brewers in adding top-notch starters. On Atlanta, are the Braves buyers or sellers with a very attractive piece to shop in pending free agent Mark Teixeira? On the Yankees, can they find a big arm? Same for Philadelphia. On Arizona, do the Diamondbacks find a bat to replace Eric Byrnes and try to solidify themselves in a weak division? The trading deadline is July 31 and as each day before it passes the pressure on general managers rises.
