At Bat

High hopes for Hamilton

2008-05-09T19:19:00Z

It looks like the perfect trade, the deal last December between the Rangers and Reds that sent Josh Hamilton to Texas in exchange for Edinson Volquez and Danny Herrera. Hamilton could cement centerfield for Texas for the next decade. Volquez could be an electric starter in the National League despite pitching in a bandbox.

Not many headlines were created by the winter deal but both teams have answered the questions raised over why they made it. Hamilton leads the American League in RBI, has been fine in the clutch (he delivered his first eight men from third when hitting in less-than-two-out situations) and has played a strong centerfield.

Now the questions are about Hamilton’s stability. Can he stay clean (he has a history of alcohol and drug abuse that nearly ended his career) and play a full season for the first time? Last year’s 90 games in Cincinnati was a tease when he batted .292 in his first major league season with 19 homers and 47 RBIs in 298 at-bats. The hope in Texas is that Hamilton can be the cornerstone of the Rangers’ rebuild. He has clearly displayed the tools and raw talent that have seduced scouts since his high school days in North Carolina.

One other thought on Hamilton: The game is full of “recovering” users, mostly steroids and HGH. We see them every game, fading sluggers, pitchers looking for the “lost” mph on their fastball and those simply trying to buy one more day in the big leagues. Hamilton is recovering as well, admittedly on a more serious plane. The support system that any recovering addict must employ has worked for him for two years. Everyone hopes that his becomes a career that has its best days ahead and not one which never elevates to past levels of play – like those of so many others who have abused substances.

FIVE MORE SWINGS

1. TODAY’S MEA CULPA…goes to Nate McLouth. In a recent blog I referenced with some sarcasm the promo of McLouth as the Pirates’ leading player. After watching parts of the three-game sweep the Pirates just completed over the Giants, I recant. McLouth has hit with uncommon power and played sterling defense. Between his play and the torrid bat of Xavier Nady, Jason Bay has been removed from the limelight in Pittsburgh.

2. THE STRUGGLES CONTINUE FOR…yes, Detroit. The Tigers took some forward steps only to be knocked back this week. But Seattle now occupies the bottom of the AL. The M’s have lost 7 of 8 in May, scoring only seven runs in the losses. After three straight games in which Seattle bats were paralyzed by a wobbly Texas pitching staff (just one run in 27 innings for the M’s) the heat will increase on Seattle manager John McLaren. This is a Seattle team with a $117 million payroll. With that kind of cash being spent there comes expectation.

3. A TERRIFIC YOUNG CATCHER IS GROWING UP IN CHICAGO…Geovany Soto of the Cubs has proven ready for the job (.345 BA, 6 HR, 25 RBI). He’s a late bloomer and the Puerto Rican continues the trend of catchers coming from Latin and Caribbean countries.

4. DOES SPEED EQUAL RUNS? The eternal question (often addressed by Bill James) is being tested by San Francisco. And James would agree with the answer provided by the Giants, who lead the NL in stolen bases and are last in runs scored.

5. HOW MUCH SEASONING DOES A YOUNG ARM NEED? Colorado’s top pick in the 2006 draft, Greg Reynolds, makes his major league debut Sunday. Hurt much of last year, Reynolds has all of 133 innings of professional baseball experience.

Padres’ problems number many

2008-05-07T21:58:00Z

San Diego is a fascinating team to watch. Last year I had several NL coaches tell me that baseball was morphing into a game revolving around athletes and their speed. The days of ‘slow pitch softball’ slugging were over. Yet the Padres were one out from last year’s NL playoffs with a notable lack of speed. And they field a 2008 team with even less speed.

Any analysis of why the Padres have the NL’s worst record through 20 percent of the season must look at the team’s lack of athleticism. Doubt not that the Padres chief executive officer Sandy Alderson sets the team’s philosophy. Also doubt not Alderson’s track record -- his emphasis on on-base percentage, power and pitching without walks worked wonderfully in Oakland.

Alderson has answered the questions by pointing to last year’s 89-win squad and reminding all that there were no issues about speed. The only notable change at a position has been the swap of Mike Cameron for the declining Jim Edmonds in center field. Instead of a lack of speed, Alderson points to his team’s woeful on-base percentage (.302) and slugging (.341), both last in the NL, as the reasons for his team’s poor run total – 15th in the league.

An obvious consideration when taking into account the Padres’ struggles is Petco Park, which is horrid for hitters (the Padres average just 2.9 runs per home game) and demanding of strong outfield defense. And San Diego fares better on the road, averaging nearly four runs per game and hitting 16 of its 23 home runs away from home.

The other obvious San Diego failing is its bullpen, superb last year but resting last this year with a 4.74 ERA and 10 relief losses. These numbers can never be looked at in isolation though as the weak Padres’ hitting causes close games, more extra-inning games and by extension more pressure on the bullpen.

What remains to be seen is whether the Padres can generate more punch from their current team. From this view, the question is legitimate. Outside of Adrian Gonzalez (imagine what his numbers would be if he played his home games in the bandboxes in Houston, Philadelphia or Cincinnati), there isn’t a true threat. Brian Giles, once a feared slugger, is now a singles and walks specialist in the leadoff spot. Edmonds has left the impression that his All-Star skills have undergone a fast fade.

San Diego has Gonzalez, a premier hitter, and one of the game’s best pitchers in Jake Peavy. The Padres have spotted Arizona 10 games already and while that is not insurmountable, San Diego’s formula will be under scrutiny as it heads into the early summer looking to rebound.

FIVE MORE SWINGS

1. NO WORD YET FROM HENRY WAXMAN…after last Friday’s New York Times story with the headline “Steroid maker says he taught about NFL loopholes.” David Jacobs, a convicted steroid distributor, admits to supplying two NFL players with steroids and HGH. Those players then passed the goods onto other players. Jacobs also advised 10 NFL players on methods to beat drug tests.

Just wondering -- as regular readers of this blog know I am quite willing to do -- when the outcry will begin. When will the NFL, which to its credit wants to debrief Jacobs, be called to account? Had Jacobs’ clients been baseball players, the fallout would be loud and demanding. So when is the NFL hearing before Congress on rampant performance-enhancing drug abuse?

2. THE BEST PLAYER YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF…so far this season may well be Oakland’s Emil Brown. A 33-year-old product of the Pittsburgh system, Brown had three respectable years in Kansas City before signing in the equally anonymous locale of Oakland. All Brown has done is register 28 RBI in 33 games, second to Josh Hamilton in the AL. Brown has to be another of the terrific bargain signings by Billy Beane.

3. THE FOCUS IS RIGHT…as HBO’s Real Sports featured Torii Hunter talking about the dearth of black players in the game. After several years of hammering by voices in the game, Major League Baseball has soundly moved its focus away from front offices and towards insuring blacks continue to play and attend games.

4. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MICAH OWINGS…in yesterday’s blog and last night we saw the prime example of pitcher-turned-player. Rick Ankiel of the Cardinals made two extraordinary throws to cut down runners in Denver. They were bolts from the deep regions of Coors Field -- so impressive that Ankiel couldn’t suppress a smile after the second. They were his first two assists of the season and since players everywhere will see the highlights, they could be his last.

5. JUST TO SHOW THIS SPACE ADMITS ERROR…we tip the hat to Houston. We couldn’t identify the Astros’ plan. We didn’t know where they were going. But now we know one thing -- they can score. After a rough start, they are now in the middle of the league and climbing in runs scored. Four straight wins have them over .500 for the first time and suddenly the NL Central, which appeared mediocre at the start of the season, could be far stronger than the West.

Why long-terms deals are on the rise

2008-05-06T19:56:00Z

Have you ever told anyone they shouldn’t have insurance? Perhaps you have questioned the amount of insurance purchased but the concept itself? Not me.

So in a recent USA Today piece on the growing number of pre-free agency players signing multi-year contracts, the stance of agent Scott Boras, while hardly surprising, was notable.

For those unfamiliar with this topic here’s the scoop: Clubs try to lock up their best young players to contracts that fix costs. Other benefits of such deals include avoiding arbitration (something many players also appreciate) and in some cases, a year of free agency.

Boras believes these contracts are club-friendly and are designed to take players out of the arbitration process. Einstein is not needed to deduce that everyone in baseball fully understands that arbitration is heavily weighted towards the player. (Even the great Marvin Miller understood that arbitration was a more powerful tool than free agency). Thus clubs tried to find an alternative to going to arbitration and what they’ve come up with his insurance for players in the form of multi-year deals early in their careers.

By offering players security and peace of mind the clubs in return can establish fixed costs. The sheer number of such deals indicates that both sides see benefit in the practice.

Take the case of Troy Tulowitzki, who signed away two years of free agency in the six-year, $30 million deal he agreed to with the Rockies before Opening Day. Last week Tulowitzki tore up his quad and he will be out until at least the All-Star break. Although he is not arbitration-eligible, how much better do you think Tulowitzki and his family feel with the financial insulation they now have against significant injury in years 4-6 of his deal?

Or take the case of Zack Greinke, now on the rebound in Kansas City from a social anxiety disorder that threatened his career? How about Rocco Baldelli, a promising Tampa Bay Rays outfielder, whose career is in jeopardy from a rare disease? Baldelli signed a three-year, $9 million contract in 2006 avoiding arbitration. If he never plays again, Baldelli receives $2.25 million in 2008 and a $4 million buyout. Surely no money can fully salve the wound of a career ending too soon, but in the worst case Baldelli has the means to embark on a new life.
By the way, Baldelli negotiated that contract extension himself -- after firing Boras. Baldelli bought insurance and he is the wiser for doing so.

Multi-year deals are not the preference of all players who find themselves in position to get such contracts. The Upton brothers (B.J. of the Rays and Justin of the Diamondbacks) display their willingness to go year-to-year with their deals through their six years in the big leagues.

Some players are willing to gamble and that’s their right. In some cases, the gambler will win and earn more money. But who is anyone, particularly an agent, to suggest a player is fool-hardy to insure himself and his family from the worst-case scenario.

Agents can become invisible or be long gone when a player’s career heads the wrong way (no one in San Francisco has heard a peep from Boras as “Zicasso,” Barry Zito languishes in the bullpen). It is the player who has to stand front-and-center to accept responsibility while his agent cashes checks.

FIVE MORE SWINGS

1. HE HAS DH NUMBERS, BUT…Micah Owings will be better served doing double duty as a pinch-hitter in the National League. Watching him leg out an infield hit in a pinch-hit role Sunday reinforced the dilemma for Arizona manager Bob Melvin.

Owings is such a good hitter that he affords Arizona an extra bat on the bench. But the potential nightmare that exists is seeing a starting pitcher blow out a hamstring running the bases. Temptation to call upon Owings too often and thereby increase the risk of injury must be resisted as was the case with Dontrelle Willis and Woody Williams, starting pitchers who in recent years have doubled as pinch-hitters.

2. IF YOU DOUBT THE ERRATIC NATURE OF RELIEF PITCHING…just look at Milwaukee. On the same weekend that the Brewers cut Derrick Turnbow, an All-Star closer two years ago, Eric Gagne, the new $10 million savior, blew his fifth save in one month. The Brewers are floundering at .500 instead of leading their division and Gagne is getting fingered as the main culprit.

3. JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT DETROIT WAS ROLLING…the Tigers got swept in Minnesota. Detroit manager Jim Leyland promised change and it started last night with the elimination of Jacque Jones, who was designated for assignment.

What continues to hurt Detroit are the injuries to the setup men, Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya. What is saving Detroit is Cleveland’s erratic play. And then there are the Twins, quietly sitting atop the division with Joe Mauer second in batting, Justin Morneau third in RBI and Joe Nathan a shut-down closer.

4. A HUGE FALL FROM GRACE…continues for Bronson Arroyo. The Reds thought they had the makings of a terrific rotation anchored by Aaron Harang and Arroyo and backed up by wildly talented kids in Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto. But Arroyo is a mere shell of the pitcher who was an All-Star in 2006. He is 1-4, his ERA is 8.63 and the Reds are reeling at 13-20.

5. THE WORST TRADE IN RECENT HISTORY…had its final chapter written last week. Pittsburgh released Matt Morris, eating $10 million in salary, about 20 percent of the Pirates’ 2008 payroll. Where do the Pirates stand in yet another rebuild? Well, Saturday the Washington Nationals radio network ran this promo, “Tune in tomorrow as the Nats take on Nate McLouth and the Pittsburgh Pirates!”

Grading big names in new places

2008-05-02T20:21:00Z

One month into the season here’s the scoop on how some familiar faces are faring with their new teams:

PASSING WITH FLYING COLORS

JOHAN SANTANA: Where would the Mets be without their staff leader – make that savior? He has a sterling 0.92 WHIP that augurs better long-term numbers than 3-2 and a 3.12 ERA through his first six starts.

DAN HAREN: Anyone still question Arizona’s decision to move kids for a solid 1-A starter?

TORII HUNTER: What seemed like a crowded outfield looks just fine with Hunter as the Angels’ anchor in centerfield.

KOSUKE FUKUDOME: He came a lot cheaper to the Cubs than last year’s marquee signing, Alfonso Soriano, and he will probably be a better overall offensive player by season’s end.

TOM GLAVINE: Nothing outstanding but exactly what the Braves expect from a 42-year-old Hall of Famer -- steady pitching that lives up to today’s demands that starters “keep their team in the game.”

BRAD LIDGE: All the uncertainty of spring has been calmed by his terrific 7-for-7 in save opportunities and no earned runs allowed.

MIGUEL TEJADA: Another uncertainty before the season began because of questions over steroids and age, he quietly posted a fine first month with 22 RBI and .946 OPS.

EDGAR RENTERIA: He is hitting for Detroit but can he calm concerns over diminished range?

HOLDING THEIR OWN

SCOTT ROLEN: Started late due to a broken finger but his first five games have been terrific. Another two weeks like this and he’ll run with the leaders.

JON GARLAND: Injuries thrust him into a more prominent role for the Angels. The early returns raise some questions. Should the Angels be concerned that Garland has allowed a ton of hits and posted more walks than strikeouts (12-9) over his first six starts?

MIGUEL CABRERA: Nice offensive numbers so far, but his girth has already prompted a change from third base to first base – a position he has never played.

FRANCISCO CORDERO: Looks great in the Cincinnati bullpen, but the disappointing Reds haven’t gotten him many chances to do his thing.

ERIC GAGNE: Some horrific blown saves are buttressed by sturdy outings including an impressive appearance Thursday at Wrigley Field, the site of his Opening Day nightmares. He’s still throwing in the 91-93 mph range.

NICK SWISHER: His numbers don’t look great, but around the White Sox he is commended for his energy and patient plate approach – two much-needed additions to the South Siders.

IN DANGER OF FAILING

ANDRUW JONES: Overweight and sluggish at the plate, he told all in the spring not to worry. Well, 29 strikeouts in his first 88 at-bats equal full-blown worry.

JIM EDMONDS: A terrific player but one who appears to be showing the signs of being in the late stages of his career.

JOSE VALVERDE: Big numbers in wins, saves and ERA, which is exactly why Arizona moved him.

TROY GLAUS: Is there still big power in his bat? After the winter news of his HGH dealings, Glaus had only one home run in his first 100 at-bats.

DONTRELLE WILLIS: Too big (a common refrain this year) and now he’s on the DL.

MARK PRIOR: Still hurt but the Padres have hope he’ll pitch sometime this year.

FIVE MORE SWINGS

1. HE WASN’T A BIG HEADLINE AS A NEW FACE…but Kaz Matsui has salvaged a major league career. He bombed with the Mets, was exposed as incapable of playing shortstop in the United States and eventually was booed out of New York. But he rebounded in the peace of Colorado and last winter earned a multi-year deal in Houston where he has supplanted Michael Bourn in the leadoff spot.

2. NO ONE IS IRREPLACEABLE…but Troy Tulowitzki may be darn close. We’ll find out if the Rockies can repeat last year’s grit as they play into July without their leader, who is sidelined with a torn tendon in his left quadriceps.

3. IT’S NOT THE AGENT’S FAULT…but I wait for Scott Boras to inform us of the whereabouts of “Zicasso,” the pitching artist he sold to the Giants for $126 million a couple of winters ago. Barry Zito has been relegated to the bullpen as the Giants try to salvage something from the early stages of a horrid investment.

4. NOT EVERYONE CAN START FAST…but I cringe when players shrug off slow starts as if such struggles are part of the natural course of events. That attitude tells teammates, “Hey, you guys carry things early and I’ll get going late.” Well, someone has to hit early since the April games count the same as those in September. At least Pittsburgh’s Adam LaRoche had the presence to admit that his annual April miseries were “mental.”

5. TONY LA RUSSA IS A TERRIFIC MANAGER…but the concept of the pitcher batting eighth, or higher, is not new. Remember Gary Peters, a good lefty starter in the 1960’s for Cleveland and Chicago (AL)?

On May 26, 1968 Peters pitched for the White Sox in the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. Starved for offense, White Sox manager Eddie Stanky batted Peters -- a .222 career hitter with 19 home runs, sixth. Peters went 0-2 but more importantly gave up two early home runs, one of them to Bobby Cox, and was knocked out in the fourth.

D-backs the cream of the NL crop

2008-04-30T22:53:00Z

Arizona is the best team in the National League and the fact that the Diamondbacks earn that distinction rather than the Mets with their huge payroll is notable.

Where the Mets stand as the calendar turns to May is another subject, although they can be measured against upstart Arizona when the two teams meet this weekend in Phoenix.

But this is about Arizona, the team that appeared World Series-bound last fall until being derailed at the last-minute by Colorado. The D-backs are better this year in one major area – the rotation. The addition of Dan Haren gives them the best 1-2 starters in the league (Brandon Webb and Haren). The Mets could surpass that if they get someone consistently producing behind Johan Santana but for now no NL club is better at the top of the rotation than Arizona.

Last year Arizona won the NL West despite being outscored. This year a much different story for the D-backs, who with one day left in April lead the league in runs scored (157) and runs allowed (102). On offense they blend power (No. 3 in the NL in home runs) with patience (No. 2 in the league in OPS) -- a formula found more sparingly in the circuit that plays without a DH. In fact, one evaluator told me that Arizona had an American League lineup in that all eight position players most nights were capable of hitting a home run. That’s another quality becoming increasingly rare in the NL.

If there is a question about Arizona that needs to be answered over the full season it is the bullpen. Trading Jose Valverde opened up the closer role for Brandon Lyon, who is 8-10 in save chances. Lyon’s most notable stat: just one walk in 14 innings.

Incredibly, the Arizona bullpen is the best in the NL, holding April opponents to a meager .217 BA with a 1.97 ERA. The starters are producing innings (fourth most in the NL) and the longer that continues, the easier it will be for this bullpen to maintain success through the summer.

Don’t underestimate the value of youth -- even Giants manager Bruce Bochy commented that he notices his younger players “don’t get tired in the late innings.” Well, Arizona threw its youngsters into the fray last year and they responded magnificently. There’s no reason to suspect anything would change as they are still young and energetic with a needed dose of experience.

But if Arizona needed one thing, it was a young player to assume command as Troy Tulowitzki did in Colorado. So far that player looks to be Conor Jackson, the cleanup hitter who has streaked through a .341 first month with 24 RBI.

Right now the D-backs look as if they can’t be challenged in their division, but the Rockies and Phillies proved once again last summer that baseball is the longest season of all. And Arizona is working with a $66 million payroll -- one that pales in comparison to the Mets, Cubs and Dodgers.

Arizona is young, talented, becoming very confident and carrying the look of a team that should be good for years to come.

FIVE MORE SWINGS

1. Tuesday night saw Max Scherzer make his major league debut for the D-backs. A first-round draft pick out of the University of Missouri in 2006,

he was represented by Scott Boras. Scherzer didn’t sign for a year. Arizona gave him a major-league contract last May and less than a year later he comes to the bigs and retires all 13 Houston batters he faces, seven by strikeout. His fastball reached 98 mph. Just another example of how young and talented the D-Backs are.

2. Just so you don’t think it’s that easy for everyone Phil Hughes of the Yankees was hammered (six runs, 11 baserunners in 3 2/3 innings) last night and New York, not surprisingly, is buzzing that Hughes needs time in Triple-A.

3. Struggling Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado created a major New York buzz by refusing a curtain call during a two-homer Sunday at Shea Stadium. The view here is well done, Carlos.

This is sad to write for someone who grew up a Mets fan but I was shocked by the ugliness displayed by a growing part of the team’s fan base during my broadcast stint in New York a few years ago. I watched several talented players melt under the relentless negativity. Delgado has been booed repeatedly by the same fans that wanted him to celebrate Sunday. How do you blame Delgado for declining the curtain call? The odd part to me was that the worst Shea crowds were on weeknights and this was a Sunday afternoon.

4. Don’t overlook the significance of this stretch in the AL East race. Alongside a recent surge by Mike Mussina and the struggles of Phil Hughes, the Yankees now have A-Rod and Jorge Posada on the DL. Boston has an opening to create some separation in the division race.

5. Terrific hire by Major League Baseball in naming CBS Sports executive Tony Petitti to run the MLB Network. A strong case could be made that MLB’s most important hire of this decade has been Bob Bowman, the man who has built MLB.com into a $5 billion business. That’s a tough bar for the television network to shoot for, but Petitti is well armed for such a task.

Twins a model of stability

2008-04-28T19:23:00Z

Athletics general manager Billy Beane walked from the Oakland dugout across the field to join a group wearing Minnesota uniforms. Beane spent two years in the Twins organization as a player and 20 years later he still knew half of the major league staff.

As Beane approached Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, his Triple-A roommate in 1987 and Rick Stelmaszek, bullpen coach today as he was when Beane played for the Twins, Beane told the group that he had just spoken with his young assistants about his link to this group. And he exclaimed how amazing it is that the Twins have such stability.

It struck me that the Minnesota organization continues to be baseball’s most unappreciated story. When the Twins win as they did in 2006 this organization gets credit. But finish near .500 as happened last year and the Twins are overlooked.

But think about this: In the last 22 seasons the Twins have had two managers and beginning this year Bill Smith is just the third general manager. Gardenhire and first base coach Jerry White have worn the Twins uniform for nearly two decades and Stelmaszek is in his 28th season as bullpen coach.

Continuity extends into the front office where many of the employees have worked between 10 and 20 years. Why? Because they see an organization that promotes from within. For instance team president Dave St. Peter started as an intern.

You should get the idea by now -- there is a notable loyalty in the Twins’ offices. Owner Carl Pohlad has often been maligned, unfairly in this view, for low payrolls, yet employees stay. In the gruesome winter of 1994-95 when many teams had massive front-office layoffs, the Twins kept every employee. Why? They banded together and volunteered to work one unpaid week per month. In doing that the employees made sure there would be no layoffs. How many places would witness such group loyalty?

In the Walter O’Malley era, the Dodgers had this kind of stability. For much of the John Schuerholz-Bobby Cox era so have the Braves. But it’s rare in the game, more so in this impatient era. So Beane’s reaction made me realize that we should appreciate the Minnesota Twins. They have survived and often thrived in this big-dollar era replete with hiring and firing managers, general managers and players. They score headlines for trading Johan Santana, but receive no praise for signing Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer and Joe Nathan to long-term deals. When they open their new outdoor ballpark in 2010, it says here they will contend.

FIVE MORE SWINGS

1. Beane loves the Premier League, which is to England as the NFL is to America. What Beane notices on his trips to see games in person is the size of soccer players. Strikers are smaller but midfielders and defenders are the same size as the bigger baseball players. But Beane is quick to add that a defender may be 6-foot-3 but he is cut and -- by necessity -- in top aerobic shape unlike too many baseball players.

Which brings me back to a growing concern I have over the growing girth of too many players. I know pitching is a skill but why can’t pitchers have some accountability to be in shape?

Talked to a serious fan the other night and we agreed that the biggest difference in the players from 20 years ago to today is size -- not just “artificial bulk” but width.

2. The brilliant San Francisco Chronicle columnist Bruce Jenkins wrote this in March, “No names, no accusations, no rumors, merely a sweeping generalization with merit: The steroid backlash is now in full rage. Baseball's disabled list is more crowded than a U2 concert, and pitchers seem especially vulnerable. Off the juice, ready to settle into a normal life, ballplayers find their bodies breaking down in ways they couldn't imagine. Welcome to the afterlife, everybody. The payback is just beginning.”

I couldn’t stop thinking about those words as I watched the weekend’s games. Former stars can’t stay healthy, hampering their teams in early-season games. Former sluggers are now gap hitters or batting leadoff. When training and physical therapy is as sophisticated as ever, more players are hurt more often. How are we supposed to make sense of this?

3. A legit injury: John Smoltz was tough to watch Sunday. Clearly bothered by a bad shoulder, he tried to gut his way through four innings before leaving with the next step uncertain. He'll have his sore shoulder checked out which has the Braves crossing their fingers and hoping the news is not bad. Meanwhile, the Braves lost games started by Tim Hudson and Smoltz on consecutive days at Shea Stadium -- the definition of a bad weekend.

4. Texas rebounded with a series win over Minnesota. Baseball gossip has the Rangers’ Ron Washington as the first manager on the hot seat. In an informal poll of uniformed personnel last week -- many of whom know and respect Washington – those whose opinions were sought scoffed at the thought of the manager being held responsible for the Texas mess. As one said, “What are they doing there? How can anyone be expected to win with that pitching (5.46 ERA, last in the AL)?”

5. Can’t avoid a mention of Tampa Bay’s sweep of Boston. It catches attention because the Red Sox scored only five runs in three games, a screeching halt to a powerful offense. At one point last week eight of the nine Red Sox starters were hitting .300. Yet after five straight losses Boston’s early-season edge on the Yankees has been reduced to a game-and-half in the AL East.

Are surprising White Sox for real?

2008-04-26T17:38:00Z

The White Sox started the weekend on top in the AL Central, but are they legitimate season-long contenders or are they beneficiaries of early-schedule struggles from division rivals Detroit and Cleveland?

Here are the key early questions about the White Sox:

1. Can they score more runs? Dead last in this category in the AL last year, Chicago climbed to fourth in the league almost four weeks into the season. What’s made the difference? Well, Mark Gonzales, one of the game’s most knowledgeable beat writers who covers the White Sox for the Chicago Tribune, says that Nick Swisher (acquired from Oakland in January) is the “best thing to happen to the team in a long time.”

Off the field Swisher brings a needed personality to the clubhouse. On the field he inherited the leadoff spot and his patience at the plate has been contagious as the White Sox are sixth in walks. There are enough hitters in the lineup to score far more runs than Chicago did last season.

2. Can they pitch better? So far this has been answered in the positive by the bullpen. It’s been strong. Heading into the weekend it was third in the AL after ranking 12th last season. The impressive numbers this season are a 3.50 ERA and .240 OBA as opposed to a 5.47 ERA and .281 OBA last year. Boone Logan has become the lefty specialist and Scott Linebrink has added strength to the setup spot. Bobby Jenks has shown little vulnerability as the closer.

3. Is the starting pitching strong enough? Good question and likely the biggest one for the White Sox to answer. Mark Buerhle has struggled early and that must change. John Danks, 23, and Gavin Floyd, 25, are younger arms that have been huge additions to offset the trade of Jon Garland to the Angels. To contend through the summer, Chicago must have the arms to handle the bats of Detroit and Cleveland.

4. Does Joe Crede get traded? After a sluggish spring, he’s been superb under the bright lights. Gonzales says Crede is playing as well as he did pre-surgery and he’s already had the league lead in RBI. If the White Sox stay alive in the hunt for the division title, Crede likely stays put in the Windy City. If they fade out of the race, he is trade bait to a team that may develop a need for a third baseman.

5. Do the White Sox have youth in reserve? An interesting question as Baseball America recently rated Chicago’s minor-league system 30th (last in the majors). Naturally, the White Sox differ citing Cuban defector Alexei Ramirez, a middle infielder and outfielders Brian Anderson and Carlos Quentin, plus the aforementioned Danks and Floyd. They are all young (26 and under) and all are helping the White Sox now. These younger players are clearly playing for the moment, not cowed by the powerful teams of their chief division rivals.

FIVE MORE SWINGS:

1. SO YOU REALLY THINK JOBA SHOULD BE IN THE YANKS’ ROTATION: Yes, Joba Chamberlain lost Thursday night’s game in the ninth to the White Sox but look at Wednesday’s game in Chicago. Mike Mussina pitched seven strong innings but with Chamberlain being rested LaTroy Hawkins and Billy Traber couldn’t close out the eighth inning. So 38-year-old Mariano Rivera had to work a five-out save. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said it best last week when he called the Chamberlain-Rivera-late-game tandem “something special.”

2. WHY THE POSTSEASON IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: The Angels took two of three games at Fenway Park last week and Boston’s starters for the series were David Pauley (fourth major-league start), Jon Lester and Justin Masterson, who made his major-league debut. That’s a far cry from last October when the Red Sox overmatched the Angels in the playoffs in large part due to the outstanding pitching of Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling.

3. CAN ANYBODY HIT HERE? The NL West -- other than Arizona -- is a pitcher's paradise. Here’s where the teams in the division rank in the NL in runs scored after last night’s games:

Arizona-1

Colorado-9

Los Angeles-10 (tied)

San Diego-15 (tied)

San Francisco-15 (tied)

Figure that a team with promising young pitching like the Giants will stay afloat longer in low-scoring games. The Padres and the Dodgers may start to panic if they see their hopes of taking the division frustrated by a flurry of games filled with runners left on base. The Rockies hope their lineup returns to form. And Arizona may run away and hide with the division.

4. WHY THEY ARE CONCERNED IN SAN DIEGO: The Padres really can’t hit at home, a pitiful 34 runs in 13 games at Petco Park. Such little run support puts immense pressures on the bullpen and San Diego has slipped there. Last year the Padres led the NL with a 3.01 ERA and a .231 OBA. This year starting play today they have nine losses from relievers, who began the weekend series with Arizona last in the NL with a 5.30 ERA and a .289 OBA.

5. FIRST INNING KO FOR LIRIANO: I saw Francisco Liriano pitch in Oakland Thursday. Before the game members of the Twins’ front office talked about his return from Tommy John surgery affecting his fastball more than his slider. Mechanics were the issue. Liriano went to the mound and didn’t survive the first inning. He had one pitch clocked at 97 mph, multiple others at 93 mph but the A’s had five hits, most of them off fastballs and Liriano struggled with his control in walking three. Any hope the Twins harbor to surprise this year fade with each struggle for Liriano, who yesterday was sent back to the minors in the hope he can get back on track at the Triple-A level.

Will Sabathia pay price for last season?

2008-04-23T21:58:00Z

Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia tossed a silencer last night in Kansas City: Six shutout innings and 11 strikeouts in picking up his first win of the season.

Questions surrounded Sabathia after Detroit pounded him 13-2 last Wednesday. That loss left last year’s AL Cy Young winner with a 0-3 record and an astronomical 13.51 ERA. To make matters worse opposing batters were hitting .390 off of him.

Questions about his health and Sabathia replied he was fine. Questions about his impending free agency (his deal with the Indians ends after this season) and in response he stated the only thing he can -- that he hasn’t thought about his contract. Questions about where his head was at and to those his manager Eric Wedge contradicted Sabathia’s claim in a small way by admitting that the pitcher was “putting some heat on himself.”

Sabathia said his struggles were about his command of both sides of the plate. Detroit’s right-handed hitters were 8-for-20 against Sabathia. Against Kansas City, Sabathia was clocked at 94 and 95 mph in the first inning, 91 in the sixth. His fastball had life and his “slurve” was terrific. No problem with righties as he struck out Jose Guillen three times.

So what is there to take away from C.C.’s work so far this season? One obvious concern about Sabathia is fatigue. Last year he worked 241 regular-season innings, then 15 more in the postseason and a lot of them were under pressure. Many in the game, with good reason, believe there is a “hangover” effect after something like that. In Boston, Josh Beckett (who also had a very heavy workload last season), has overcome back spasms and is working on disproving that theory.

What surprised most about Sabathia’s horrid start to this season was his walk count, 14 in just 18 innings. That, too, was rectified Tuesday night and everyone around Sabathia, including his agents, will hope his early-season slump was just that – a slump – and that it is now over.

Just as Barry Zito’s contract with the Giants ended Johan Santana’s tenure in Minnesota, Santana’s deal with the Mets has created an expiration date for Sabathia’s stay in Cleveland. Can the Indians match Sabathia’s likely market value? Nothing in their recent actions would lead one to answer yes. And the Indians sent a signal in their recent signing of their other ace Fausto Carmona, who received a four-year deal before he was even arbitration-eligible. The move can’t help but serve as a signal that the Tribe is ready for life after Sabathia.

FIVE MORE SWINGS

1. Other struggling starters: Roy Oswalt has righted himself with consecutive wins, Ted Lilly had six strong innings against the Mets to earn his first win, Justin Verlander did the same against Texas for his first victory, Mark Buerhle has a horrid 1.8 WHIP and Kenny Rogers faces Texas tonight.

2. Then there’s Barry Zito. The Giants scored three early runs off Brandon Webb last night, but Zito (0-5) couldn’t finish the fourth. To be fair, he has drawn tough mound opponents but the truth is crystal clear -- were it not for Zito’s contract, he would be out of the rotation if not trying to find himself in Triple-A. We are used to radar gun readings on all MLB telecasts. Giants’ television production had no radar on its telecast last night. With Zito’s fastball barely breaking 80 mph, is the absence of radar a mere coincidence?

3. A follow on the recent release of Frank Thomas by the Blue Jays. The Bay Area vibe is that the A’s will discuss bringing back Thomas, a huge power presence in their 2006 playoff season. Jack Cust has been an April bust at DH and Mike Sweeney has shown no signs of recapturing his long-lost power. If Thomas signs in Oakland, listen for the wailing from the Barry Bonds camp.

4. The Phillies learned how to survive injury last year when Chase Utley missed a month late in the season. Now with Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino on the DL, Utley is having a monster April. But no one has been bigger than Pat Burrell. His game-winning ninth-inning double last night gave him 19 RBI in 21 games. At $14 million in the last year of a six-year deal, Burrell is both needed by his team and immensely motivated to cash in on his long-admired potential.

5. Kudos to John Smoltz. The Braves have heavily promoted Smoltz’s match to 3,000 strikeouts. That seems strange until you think about the career twist Smoltz accepted at the request of his team, going to the bullpen for a significant stretch cost him a shot at 300 wins.

Smoltz has had a Hall-of-Fame career but 3,000 strikeouts is the best milestone he will reach. At 41 (next month), he is still a power pitcher with health that has surprised even the greatest optimist. Even though his regular-season win total will end shy of 250, always remember his 15-4 postseason record with four saves. At 24, he pitched seven shutout innings on the road in a World Series Game 7. This man is a Hall-of-Famer in every sense.

Greed, not common sense, drives scheduling

2008-04-21T20:25:00Z

My friends in tennis often marvel at the structure of team sports that commands all players to adhere to a team schedule. Tennis, of course, is a collection of players who are independent contractors and who operate in a manner similar to musical artists. They make their own touring schedules. Some decide to play many tournaments while others parcel their appearances more discriminately.

It’s a different story in baseball where the schedule has changed dramatically over the last three decades and for the players the changes have not been for the better.

The most recent example of this involves the Rockies. Colorado played 22 innings in San Diego Thursday night and had a night game Friday in Houston – going from one city to the other is a distance of 1,307 air miles. So as happens all the time in today’s game baseball’s absurd scheduling worked to the detriment of some of its players. And it is impossible to blame the lack of concern over this on anything other than greed.

Why not a day game on Thursday in San Diego as both the Astros and Padres were moving on to other cities for play on Friday? Teams are reluctant to schedule many day games for fear of upsetting suite holders and local television rights holders. Why not a shorter trip for the Rockies? That’s a question for the schedule makers. After Thursday night’s marathon, San Diego traveled to Phoenix, a much more reasonable trip of 301 air miles as opposed to the lunacy the Astros had to endure.

Here’s the rub: Baseball routinely asks its players to make insane turnarounds. (My NBA friends with the Golden State Warriors moan about games on consecutive nights involving travel to Denver, a distance baseball teams equal or exceed dozens of times in a season). There is no argument that the players aren’t well compensated for this demand but money can’t overcome human frailty. Fatigue can’t be stopped by dollars but it can be abated by other means. Oh, wait a minute, the moral stampede in the BALCO aftermath eliminated stimulants from baseball clubhouses. How do you think this kind of scheduling can be survived with anything resembling a “major league performance?”

Here’s the second rub: Houston, like all teams, kept to charging major-league prices for last Friday night’s game even though it was unlikely Colorado could provide a high-level performance. And no one seems to care about this. To the Rockies’ credit they scored six runs in the first inning Friday night and won and also won on Saturday night. It doesn’t make the situation any easier to accept, but it speaks to the professionalism of Colorado.

How bad has scheduling gotten? Well, San Diego schedules night games when the visiting team has to travel with the full knowledge that Lindbergh Field has a takeoff curfew of 11:30 PM. With an average game taking nearly three hours to finish, a team playing the Padres on a getaway night has to scramble to beat the clock. Any long game and the curfew becomes an issue. And again no one seems to care. To make their appointed game in Houston, the Rockies left San Diego at 3:30 AM, willingly breaking the curfew that carries a $3,000 fine. The Rockies arrived in their Houston hotel after 8:00 AM and no one seems to care.

FIVE MORE SWINGS

(Observations from a Sunday around the majors)

1. Question for Frank Thomas, released by the Blue Jays yesterday: If Barry Bonds can’t get a DH job, what chance does Thomas have of landing with another AL team?

2. Saw impressive young arms in Luke Hochevar of Kansas City (deceiving results in his second major-league start) and Jair Jurrjens winning his third game for Atlanta. Saw impressive older arms in Randy Johnson, still throwing 91-92 mph and strong until Arizona’s defense betrayed him in the sixth inning, Miguel Batista, one of the best free-agent pitching signings in recent years and Andy Pettitte, who is quietly putting a miserable winter behind him.

3. Saw a Dodgers team that needs a spark. It scored only three runs and dropped all three games in a lost weekend series against the Braves but it has a lineup that should generate more runs. Arizona looks so good up front that some nerves are frayed in the NL West as the other teams know they have to push hard to keep the Diamondbacks in sight.

4. Saw the Jose Reyes smile return. For the life of me I can’t understand why the Mets would have attempted to suppress the energy that is the essence of Reyes. As he goes, so go the Mets. His styling will irritate some opponents but although baseball admittedly trails in this field, the pro sports world is becoming more accepting of emotion and celebration. The Mets worked hard to correct the damage caused by an ill-conceived notion of moving Reyes to second base in 2004. They now need the Reyes of 2006, not the sullen non-factor of last September.

5. Saw a wonderful piece in the New York Times on Curt Flood. Flood as a pioneer has overshadowed Flood as a standout player (seven Gold Gloves, .293 career average and six seasons where he batted .300).

What is largely unknown is that Flood’s stance essentially ended his career at age 31. Playing into his late thirties would have allowed Flood to accumulate numbers that would have bolstered his Hall of Fame candidacy. But there is no doubt that Flood should enter the Hall of Fame alongside Marvin Miller for their roles in the baseball revolution of the 1970s.

Dodgers in need of more offense

2008-04-18T23:00:00Z

What to make of the Dodgers and their 7-8 start:

They are healthier with the return of Nomar Garciaparra two days ago and the lineup looked stronger. Even though they had two good scoring games against Pittsburgh after watching Takashi Saito surrender a ninth-inning homer in Monday’s opener of the series against the Pirates, the Dodgers still need to establish an ability to score on a consistent basis.

Striving towards that goal the team is aided by Rafael Furcal’s raging start. Hampered by a bum ankle last year, Furcal is fine and playing like a catalyst (here is where the cynic would insert, “also playing like a man in the final year of his contract.”). This gives the Dodgers a force at the top of the order.

Furcal being a force in the leadoff spot is especially important since Juan Pierre’s playing time is about to diminish. Pierre started slowly at the plate (although he had two RBI-hits on Wednesday while batting eighth) while Andre Ethier didn’t struggle out of the gate. Manager Joe Torre’s spring summary on Ethier, “He can really hit.” So Ethier and Matt Kemp are poised to be everyday corner outfielders. That makes Pierre a very expensive reserve.

Pierre’s status could eventually change if Andruw Jones can’t subscribe to NutriSystem. I mean, if it worked for Mike Ditka, then surely it can melt some of the 248 pounds from Jones’ frame. Now here is what makes life fun: the premier defensive centerfielder of this era enters free agency last winter and can’t get the long-term deal he seeks. So he “settles” for big dollars over a two-year contract, and spends the offseason eating in a super-size mode. Brilliant play, wouldn’t you agree?

Remarkably, Jones stepped on a scale this week for a L.A. Times writer. The verdict: 248 pounds. I am unaware of any center fielder who has ever played in the majors at that weight though I will gladly acknowledge anyone who has information to the contrary.

But the Dodgers have reason for optimism. Their pitching has been strong, issuing only 37 walks in their first 15 games. The NL West is the strongest of the three divisions and it is ruled by pitching. Only Arizona looks to be a “strong” team at this early juncture. That may be true for the entire NL, which is either -- depending on one’s ability to look at the bright side of things -- balanced or mediocre.

Torre is better equipped to mold Dodgers young and old into one. No matter how many denials you read, the team’s clubhouse schism last summer was real. But Torre is a master inside those walls although watch carefully the number of appearances by L.A. relievers. In the team’s first 15 games, lefty Joe Beimel worked in nine games and Scott Proctor, a veteran of similar heavy-workload treatment while playing for Torre in the Bronx, appeared in eight games. By last July, the Yankees pen was burned out (including Proctor) and underwent an overhaul. If something similar is needed this year, do the Dodgers have a Joba Chamberlain?

FIVE MORE SWINGS

1. “You give up two runs in 22 innings and you should win.” Those the words of Josh Bard, Padres catcher after San Diego’s 22-inning loss to Colorado. Legitimate question concerning the Padres: do they have enough stick in their lineup?

2. Please tell me we haven’t set the bar this low. A San Jose newspaper account of Wednesday’s Arizona-Giants game stated that Barry Zito “pitched well enough to win, allowing three earned runs in six innings.” So a 4.50 ERA is what $126 million buys?

3. All pro teams and leagues always contest Forbes magazine numbers. Still it was noticeable that in this year’s baseball valuations the bottom three teams were between $250-300 million, all on the watch of Bud Selig. Pointing this out just in case you had any questions about the strength of the commissioner within the game.

4. Also noticed these estimates from Forbes: Florida had an operating profit of $35.6 million, Tampa Bay $29.7 million and Pittsburgh $17.6 million. I acknowledge that those teams will challenge those numbers but do you think the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and other major donors into revenue sharing just happened to catch a glimpse of that story?

5. Speaking of weight issues, they are not limited to Andruw Jones. A great job done by ESPN showing the weight gain of Dontrelle Willis in the last two years and its effect on his unorthodox delivery. After Kerry Wood’s renaissance last year was fueled in part by a significant weight loss, I thought others would follow suit.